Moses Choo, a consultant for the National Council for the Blind Malaysia, said a subject on disabilities could be introduced, with a focus on letting students experience the challenges faced by those living with disabilities.
He said learning about disabilities would go a long way to help overcome the discrimination faced by the disabled community.
Parents should also be educated about disabilities, says Jeyaraj Santraju, secretary of the Malaysia Spinal Injury Association.
Choo and Jeyaraj were responding to a statement by national unity minister Halimah Sadique last week that sign language will be introduced as a subject in government-operated unity kindergartens next year as part of a third language initiative that includes Mandarin, Tamil, Kadazan and Iban.
Choo said one of the best ways to teach children about blindness is by letting them experience what it is like to be blind, for example by being blindfolded and tasting different kinds of fruit.
“This would help them experience what it’s like to be blind where they have to use their other senses and figure out what fruit they’re eating. It’s a fun and beneficial activity.
“I have also carried out an activity where we take a glass that has a small hole in it, as small as a pinhole to look through so people are able to experience different types of blindness,” he said.
Another way, he said, could be for students to ask a person living with disabilities any questions so they can better understand how they get by in life.
Choo said ideally, disabled students should go to the same schools as others, though he conceded that a lack of resources means this may not be possible.
As it is, Choo said, even public schools for the blind lack sufficient equipment and this would be an even bigger problem in regular schools. “We are very frustrated that things are moving too slowly in this country,” he said.
Jeyaraj said many disabled people are educated and have degrees but are not given opportunities because society doesn’t accept them.
He also voiced concerns over the disparity in the quality of private and public special schools.
“It’s not fair. In private schools, you pay more, so obviously you get better treatment. But what about those families who are unable to afford private schools? They are unable to get equal quality education for their children just because they’re poor,” he said.