KLANG: For academic Dr Mastura Mahamed, funds to build disabled-friendly amenities in schools must not merely be aimed at making it easier for special needs students to get around.
“It must be geared towards integrating disabled students with their able-bodied counterparts in regular classrooms as opposed to keeping them in special needs classes,’’ said the lecturer who is living with cerebral palsy.
She said many academically inclined students were struggling to get into regular classes.
Apart from a lack of infrastructure, there was no effort by the relevant parties to initiate such an integration, she said in reference to the RM2.3bil, out of the RM55.2bil allocated to the Education Ministry, which will go towards upgrading school premises including constructing disabled-friendly amenities.
Mastura, who is Alliance of Children with Cerebral Palsy vice-president, hoped next year’s budget would look into the needs of the disabled community on a wider scale.
“There has to be more focus on the needs of disabled people in the areas of tertiary education and employment,’’ she said.
Malaysia Independent Living Association for Disabled president Sia Siew Chin said she was happy there would be an allocation to build disabled-friendly amenities in schools.
“Education is the main catalyst for the disabled to enable them to get jobs and support themselves,’’ she said.
Sia said many parents did not send their disabled children to school because of a lack of facilities.
“I know of a disabled person attending regular classes in a public school from Year One to Form Five who would not go to the toilet from the time the school day started in the morning until it ended in the afternoon.
“This was because it was difficult for her to get from the classroom to the toilet,’’ said Sia.
Budget 2023 will also include the government’s plan to carry out the People’s Income Initiative programme. About RM750mil has been allocated for this purpose.
The initiative is meant to help the poor, regardless of race or religion, to increase their income potential.
Another announcement was that hardcore poor families are entitled for up to a maximum of RM3,100 in what is billed as Rahmah cash aid.
Little People National Organisation of Malaysia adviser Dr Ruziah Ghazali said measures must be put in place for the People’s Income Initiative and the Rahmah cash aid to reach those from the disabled community.
“For the implementation to be effective, some of the funds allocated must be channelled to the relevant agencies connected to the disabled community,’’ she said.
Ruziah said district offices, village heads and community leaders must be roped in to provide data on the number of needy disabled people within their areas.
Damai Disabled Persons Association president V. Murugeswaran felt that Budget 2023 had overlooked the needs of people living with disabilities.
“I was expecting an increase in our monthly government allowance, but that did not happen.
“Upgrading the public transportation system as well as creating business opportunities for us would have been welcome,’’ Murugeswaran said.
Budget 2023 has the biggest allocation of RM55.2bil for the education sector.
