In Malaysia children with Down syndrome are entitled to receive enrolment in schools with special education classes
Down syndrome to find work , if their condition allows them to . Finding an occupation enables them to leave the house and develop their communication and concentration skills through wider interaction . For instance , by working , Zi Reng has been encouraged to speak out more and has learned to be braver and more vocal , his mother said .
Employment also helps people with Down syndrome to earn their own income and move towards independent living .
They can work in different settings according to their abilities , ranging from hotel management and restaurants to retail , in particular . Experts say that those who are equipped with pre-vocational , vocational , and job training skills can excel at work , although it ’ s important for employers to make reasonable adjustments when hiring and recruiting persons with disabilities .
This is one area where the government has helped lead the way . According to the social welfare department , there are around 500,000 registered persons with disabilities in Malaysia , and since 2010 , it has implemented a policy for hiring one percent of these in the public sector .
Its programmes include supported employment opportunities , sheltered employment , and competitive employment , but it ’ s still important for the private sector to accommodate the skill sets of people with Down and give them the support they need to move towards self-management and independence .
Since the condition is highly visible through the appearance of Downies , those with it are often treated differently than patients with other conditions , such as autism .
“ With Down syndrome , their features already spell
out that they ’ re special needs children , so as Down syndrome parents , we face lesser obstruction than those who have autism kids . People will straight away not reject our kids ,” said Lim .
But a report by Unicef , the United Nations children ’ s agency , on childhood disability in Malaysia highlighted the ongoing wariness among the general population toward working with people with disabilities . Many families of special needs children also believe that employment in the corporate sector is still unattainable , despite the government ’ s programme .
All this means that Malaysia still has a long road ahead in bringing more inclusivity into the lives of people with Down syndrome . It doesn ’ t help that its official estimates of special needs children appear to be wildly inaccurate .
Even the Education Ministry , in its blueprint for the years up to 2025 , has acknowledged this , writing : “ In Malaysia , only one percent of the population has been identified as having special education needs , versus this global estimated average of 10 percent . This suggests an underestimation of the number of special education needs children in the country .”
The hope is that if the government were to recognise that there were 10 times more children in need of special education schools , integration programmes , and inclusive education , perhaps more emphasis could be placed on the requirements of children with Down syndrome and autism .
“ Malaysia is unlike many other countries where governments do subsidise special needs education ,” said Lim . “ Over here , it ’ s all done through fundraising , and if your organisation ’ s funds are limited , you just cannot supply the right professionals .” n
Employment also helps people with Down syndrome to earn their own income and move towards independent living
GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com OCTOBER 2021
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