JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 29 — The Johor government has approved an allocation of RM136,000 to cover the daily operating costs of the Nur Azalea Special Education School (intellectual disability) in Jalan Gertak Merah here.
Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said this was because the income generated through hall rental for public events came to a stop when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Onn Hafiz visited the school recently to check out the facilities there and also had the opportunity to mingle with the students.
“Among the things affected was staff salary, nevertheless I am amazed by their never say die spirit shown to continue to educate and take care of the welfare of these special children,” he said in a posting on Facebook today.
He said several members of the school committee, whose children used to study there, were still assisting the school administration until today.
Currently, there are 30 kindergarten students in the school whose classes are divided into four levels according to mental ability, Onn Hafiz added.
“This school also has 11 participants for its ‘Bengkel Terlindung’ programme in which former students return for work activities.
“In addition, I was made to understand that the workshop also has the cooperation of the Marry Brown food franchise chain where participants will be paid an allowance to pack sauces, tissues and spoons and forks,” he said, and hoped that the initiative will make the children more independent.
“InsyaAllah, the state government will make every effort to help ease the burden faced by the school to further improve the quality of education for these special children,” he added.
