KUCHING: Enrolment at the One Stop Early Intervention Centre (OSEIC) for children with special needs in Sarawak has increased significantly from its initial target of 100 children to 593 currently, reflecting growing demand for early intervention services in the state.
Minister for Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, said the centre, which began operations after the COVID-19 pandemic, now serves 518 children at OSEIC Kuching and 75 at OSEIC Dalat.
“From a very humble beginning, targeting only 100 children, the number has now grown to 593,” she said during a press conference at OSEIC today.
Despite the rise in enrolment, Fatimah said demand continues to exceed available capacity, with around 410 children currently on the waiting list.
To address the backlog, she said the ministry is exploring several measures, including introducing intervention sessions during weekends.
“Among the proposals discussed is to have classes on Saturdays and Sundays for children on the waiting list. Teachers will conduct assessments and intervention sessions based on the needs of the child,” she said.
Fatimah also emphasised the importance of early intervention, noting that some children with special needs enter Primary One without having attended preschool or intervention programmes.
“Early intervention is becoming even more important as the age of entry into Primary One will be lowered to six starting from 2027,” she said.
Preliminary information gathered by the ministry indicates that 63 children with special needs are currently enrolled in Primary One in government schools, while another 12 are studying in private schools.
Some students are also placed under the Special Education Integration Programme (PPKI) within mainstream schools.
Fatimah added that OSEIC has recorded encouraging outcomes, with about 72 per cent of children who completed intervention programmes able to learn alongside other students in mainstream classrooms.
