Message The Head of Project, USM

I would like to thank the Ministry of Education (MOE) for entrusting USM once again to be the lead institution to implement a pilot project. This new project will involve five schools in Taiping for the Holistic Inclusive Education Programme (HIEP). The programme is managed through a grant provided by PADU, Ministry of Education.

The Malaysian educational system has evolved to provide support and education for all students. As societies become advanced and economically stable, there is an increasing awareness that their members must work together and take responsibility for the education of all their children including those with special education needs. The inadequacy or unavailability of resources will have to be faced and effectively overcome. Best practices and challenges of the inclusive education must be examined and innovative solutions formulated and implemented after allowing for cultural relevance, cost effectiveness and sustainability.

Inclusion is about giving every individual a sense of belonging, respect and value. It is a practice of ensuring that people of differing abilities all have roles to play in sustaining the aspirations and welfare of their societies. It is our hope that this programme here in Malaysia will increase the number of SEN students included into the mainstream education starting at the primary school level. This holistic inclusive education will enable delivery of universal quality education by providing equal opportunity and accessibility for all students without discrimination.

The Holistic Inclusive Education Programme (HIEP) is designed to engage all stakeholders so that barriers are removed. We must change to accommodate differences and to combat discrimination related to people with special needs. In an inclusive environment, there will be the stimulus of higher expectations and greater opportunities for social interaction. Other students will benefit from interaction with their SEN classmates and exposure to a variety of diverse learning styles. They may develop a heightened sense of compasssion potential towards people with disabilities.

This project has a team of over 30 professionals, researchers and individuals in relevant fields helping us make a difference. The team conducts multidisciplinary assessments for the SEN students, and team members also conduct awareness seminars and professional training workshops for all the stakeholders so that we can come together to understand and acquire skills to ensure the success of HIEP for Malaysia.

Professor Dato’ Dr See Ching Mey