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New Straits Times
13 hours ago
- General
- New Straits Times
Relook and strengthen special education needs in schools
EDUCATION Minister Fadhlina Sidek recently revealed that over 44,000 children are currently receiving special education services, with more than 3,700 integrated into mainstream classrooms through inclusive education programmes. These numbers also hint at the thousands more who may still be undiagnosed, unsupported and unseen. The stigma surrounding special educational needs (SEN) remains a formidable barrier in Malaysia. But denial delays intervention and, in the case of SEN, early support can make all the difference. Teachers are often the first to notice when a child struggles with attention, communication, or learning. Yet when they raise concerns, they are sometimes met with resistance. Not because parents don't care, but because accepting a diagnosis feels like accepting defeat. Hard to believe that someone who sees your child for a few hours a day might understand them better than you do. Even harder to imagine your child being labelled, judged, or left behind. So, how do we move forward? We start by building trust. Schools must become safe spaces not just for students, but for parents, too. Workshops, support groups and open-door policies can help families feel less alone. Educators must approach these conversations with empathy, not authority. The Education Ministry must continue to invest in inclusive infrastructure, as it has pledged under the 12th Malaysia Plan, which includes 50 new special education projects nationwide. We urge the government to step up the effort and introduce avenues for more tailored support systems, including emotional counselling and individualised teaching methods. A compelling recent example comes from the Global Inclusive School Forum held by Unesco in March 2024, which spotlighted Portugal as a standout model of inclusive education. Portugal's approach is exemplary, with every school expected to adapt its teaching methods, curriculum and environment to meet the diverse needs of all learners. Portugal's policies are grounded in equity and supported by legislation, teacher training and community engagement. The country's inclusive education framework aligns with the principles of the 1994 Salamanca Statement, and its success has been documented in Unesco reports as a benchmark for other nations striving to leave no learner behind. Malaysians must stop treating SEN as taboo and start treating it as a reality and one that, with the right support, can lead to thriving futures.
Time of India
a day ago
- Science
- Time of India
UP's Salkhan Fossil Park in Unesco tentative list for heritage sites
Lucknow: Unesco has included the Salkhan Fossil Park, in UP's Sonbhadra, in its tentative list of World Heritage Centre. The revised list, dated June 4, was published by Unesco on Tuesday and released by UP Tourism on Thursday. The park has been recognised for its exceptional palaeobiological and geological significance. "The rings of Salkhan are more than fossils. They are our connection with Earth's earliest days. The state made concerted efforts to make the world understand the importance of this prehistoric site nestled in UP's eastern end," said Prakhar Mishra, director (ecotourism), UP tourism department. He said the Unesco tag, if it comes, would help UP "protect this treasure" and provide "economic opportunities to locals". "The inclusion would bring global recognition to one of the Earth's most ancient life-bearing records. Salkhan Fossil Park would figure among the world's most significant natural heritage sites, securing its place as a geological and cultural cornerstone not just for India, but for humanity," Mishra added. In its note on Salkhan, the Unesco said: "Salkhan Fossil Park is a remarkable geological site, nestled amidst the verdant embrace of the Kaimoor Wildlife Sanctuary. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trending in in 2025: Local network access control [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo Spanning approximately 25 hectares, it sits within the Vindhyan mountain range, characterised by rugged terrain, steep escarpments, and a unique geological landscape. The park is home to a rich repository of fossils dating back approximately 1.4 billion years, making it one of the oldest and most well-preserved fossil sites in the world. " It said the site's fossil assemblage, scattered across various formations, features an exceptional collection of stromatolites (formations created by communities of cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, which are indicators of ancient environmental conditions and microbial life) while noting that the 'fossils appear as ripple or ring-like/circular or oval stony formations scattered across limestone rock surfaces. ' The document also noted that Salkhan's fossils are meticulously preserved, offering invaluable insights into the earliest forms of life that populated our planet during the Proterozoic Eon — a critical time in geological history, essential for understanding the evolution of life forms on Earth. "The park boasts a variety of stromatolitic morphologies, preserved within the Bhander limestone of the Vindhyan Supergroup, which features one of the most extensive and well-preserved collections of Proterozoic sedimentary rocks on Earth. Salkhan Park is situated within the 'Semri Group', the oldest part of the Supergroup," read the description. In Feb this year, six other sites from India were included in the Unesco World Heritage Centre tentative list — Kanger Valley National Park, Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs, Serial nomination for Ashokan Edict sites along the Mauryan Routes, Serial nomination of Chausath Yogini Temples, Serial nomination of Gupta Temples in North India, and Palace-Fortresses of the Bundelas.
New Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Asean education urges focus on gaps affecting out-of school children
LANGKAWI: In the pursuit of a resilient and sustainable Asean, it is crucial for member countries to remain attentive to deficits in foundational learning, skills gaps and youth unemployment, which continue to exacerbate the Out-of-School Children and Youth (OOSCY) challenge. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, in her welcoming remarks at the Asean Ministers of Education and Higher Education Roundtables here, said that with continued support and shared wisdom, Asean is collectively able to achieve greater heights in the quest for quality education and prosperity for both individual nations and the bloc as a whole. "Today's roundtable serves to reaffirm our shared resolve that every child and young person, especially those currently out of school, must be afforded equitable access to quality education and the opportunity to play a meaningful role in society. "This convening offers an invaluable platform to share experiences, reflect on our collective progress and explore innovative approaches to bridging long-standing educational disparities. "As Malaysia assumes the Asean Chairmanship in 2025, we are profoundly aware of the responsibility that this role entails. "Guided by the vision of a People-Oriented and People-Centred Asean, we remain steadfast in our commitment to inclusive development and ensuring that no one is left behind, particularly our children and youths who remain outside the formal education system," she said. Fadhlina said the Asean Higher Education Ministers Roundtable on "Envisioning the Next Decade and Beyond", which aims to outline a collaborative roadmap towards a future-ready education ecosystem, is equally significant in today's session. She said in light of the intense technological and industrial transformations shaping the region, it is essential for higher education institutions to evolve and become more inclusive, agile and responsive to real-world demands. "By enhancing cooperation between governments, academia and industry, we not only strive to equip our youth for the jobs of the future, but also build more inclusive pathways for OOSCY to re-enter education and contribute actively to Asean's shared prosperity. Bridging this gap is fundamental to nurturing an Asean that is innovative, cohesive and truly leaves no one behind," she said. Fadhlina also extended her condolences to all those affected by the devastating earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand in March. Also present were Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, as well as ministers and senior officials responsible for education and higher education from Asean member states and Timor-Leste, representatives from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) and Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO). The education ministers are expected to adopt the Langkawi Joint Statement on Asean OOSCY, proposed as a guiding framework to advance collective action in ensuring inclusive access to education and learning opportunities across the region. Yesterday, Fadhlina held discussions with ICESCO director-general Dr Salim M. AlMalik on educational matters, among others, on strategic collaboration in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). — Bernama
The Star
a day ago
- Politics
- The Star
Use of technoloy, competent teaches among efforts to address dropout issues in Asean, says Fadhlina
LANGKAWI: Asean countries have identified three main interventions in their joint efforts to address the issue of dropouts and out-of-school children and youth (OOSCY), namely the expansion of preschool education, use of technology and competent teachers. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the issue was the main focus during the joint statement session held in conjunction with the two-day Asean Education and Higher Education Ministers' Roundtable 2025 (#EduRoundtables2025), which started here Wednesday (June 18). "Our focus in this meeting is on the issue of dropouts, out-of-school children and youth, which emphasises several important interventions for us to consider as an Asean community to address this issue. "In the meeting just now, the leaders of these countries have already given their respective views on how Asean can move as one community to seriously address this issue together," she said. According to her, among the initial approaches discussed was the enforcement of compulsory preschool education policies as implemented in Brunei. "Brunei has already pioneered that agenda, as mentioned in the speech by Brunei's Minister of Education earlier, that among the ways to ensure that children receive their rights is to start by enforcing laws for mandatory preschool education policies. "We are also looking into that situation, and at the level of the Education Ministry, we hope to bring it to the next Parliament session. Hopefully, we will have time to present our amendments for the compulsory education policy, starting with secondary schools first," she said during a press conference after #EduRoundtables2025 here Thursday (June 19). Commenting further, Fadhlina said the second focus is on the use of technology as an important tool in addressing the issue of dropouts. "There are indeed several important approaches to see the need for this technology to become tools in addressing the issue of dropouts. "I remember that at the ministry level, we have the DELIma (Digital Educational Learning Initiative Malaysia) platform... for teachers to fully utilise this platform to identify several issues of dropouts, memorisation, literacy, and to use all the applications in this DELIma platform for technology use in the classroom and addressing several dropout issues," she said. Fadhlina also emphasised that besides infrastructure, the need for competent teachers is equally important to support the expansion of early childhood education. "So, among the concerns expressed and the views from Unesco and Icesco (Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) is the need to provide competent teachers to ensure that these preschool children can have exposure to early education at the preschool level before starting their formal education at the mainstream level," she said. She also said that these efforts are in line with the education reforms being implemented by the ministry, including drafting the new education development plan and the massive expansion of preschool education. Meanwhile, the event began on Wednesday with a forum themed "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Mitigating Out-of-School Children and Youth (OOSCY) Challenges," aimed at strengthening collective efforts through the sharing of information related to groups lacking access to education and at risk of dropping out, as well as other issues related to dropouts. In addition to Asean members and Timor Leste as observer, the Asean Education Forum is also being attended by representatives from international organisations such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef), Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation (Seameo) and Icesco. This year marks the fifth time Malaysia has held the Asean chairmanship, having previously held the position in 1977, 1997, 2005 and 2015. - Bernama
The National
a day ago
- The National
Historic schoolhouse in Scotland's Unesco Flow Country for sale for £120k
Found in the northeastern tip of Scotland, the home is now part of the Caithness village of Altnabreac, whose name derives from Allt nam Breac or 'stream of the trout' in Gaelic. The village sits within the Flow County, which was awarded World Heritage status by Unesco in 2024 for its 9000-year-old blanket bog landscape. Home to a distinctive mix of bird species, the Flow Country is considered a key example of a blanket bog in the world. READ MORE: Plans submitted to remove 34 turbines from Highland wind farm Altnabreac's schoolhouse closed in 1986 and has been used as a private home ever since. The two-floor residence is built from stone, with a red brick extension that sits under a slate roof. It features two bedrooms, a family room, kitchen, bathroom, storage space, a rear hall and a versatile former schoolroom, and is located within 0.62 acres of grounds that benefit from stores including a generator. The village is served by Altnabreac railway station on the Far North Line which reopened in April. Altnabreac Station first opened in 1874 and the reason for the station's construction is a mystery with it then being around 10 miles from the nearest road. Caithness more broadly is known for its long, sandy beaches and steep cliffs, and is well-loved by birdwatchers and hikers alike. READ MORE: Lesley Riddoch: Highlanders are rallying against Scotland's energy land grab The property is located just 23 miles south of Thurso, mainland Britain's northernmost town. A few miles east of Thurso is the Castle of Mey, the former royal residence of The Queen Mother and is open to visitors.
