Budget 2027 autism initiatives aim to bridge early education gap for rural, low-income children

KUANTAN, Oct 27 — Access to appropriate early education and guidance is essential for autistic children, particularly those from low-income families and rural communities, to help them develop their potential early on.

Against this backdrop, plans under Budget 2027 to build two Permata Kurnia centres in Pahang and Melaka and open 130 new Tabika Tunas Istimewa classes in rural areas nationwide are expected to give more children access to education and support suited to their individual needs.

Malaysian Childcare Centre Association founder and chairman Ng Chun Piew said the initiatives could widen access to early guidance, but their success would hinge on appropriate facilities, trained teachers and quality services.

He said stronger cooperation among the government, experts, parents and childcare providers was essential to ensure autistic children received the support they needed for their development and well-being.

“We hope the new centres and classes will be equipped with trained educators, appropriate facilities and quality services, with due consideration given to the needs of families requiring assistance.

“Children are the future of the country, and every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and reach their full potential,” he told Bernama recently.

Kindergarten operator Lim Suh Yin, 42, who has three children with special needs, also welcomed plans for dedicated centres for autistic children, noting they require specialised knowledge, skills and tailored teaching methods.

She said teachers must understand that each autistic child has distinct characteristics, behaviours and needs to ensure their learning and development are adequately supported.

“Caring for and understanding these children requires specific skills, as each child has different characteristics and needs and responds to different approaches.

“Those without specialised training may struggle to understand autistic children’s behaviour and identify suitable learning methods for them,” she said, stressing the importance of dedicated centres or classes with trained educators and professional support to promote the development of autistic children.

Mulya Aina Mohamad, 43, whose 12-year-old child is autistic, said plans to open more specialised classes would give parents hope, especially those from low-income households who face financial barriers to accessing private education services.

She said suitable early childhood education would enable autistic children to participate in learning activities, receive training and access support suited to their needs before starting school.

“Not all families can afford private education, while rural parents struggle to find suitable education and guidance for children under seven,” she said, adding that more specialised classes would help parents and raise awareness of autistic children’s needs and available support.

Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced in Budget 2027 that two Permata Kurnia centres would be built in Pahang and Melaka to provide education, support and training for autistic children, while more than 130 new Tabika Tunas Istimewa classes would open in rural areas nationwide to improve access to early support for autistic children from low-income families. — Bernama

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关丹，10 月 27 日——对于自闭症儿童，尤其是来自低收入家庭和农村社区的自闭症儿童来说，获得适当的早期教育和指导至关重要，这有助于他们及早发挥自身潜力。

在此背景下，2027 年财政预算案计划在彭亨州和马六甲州建造两个 Permata Kurnia 中心，并在全国农村地区开设 130 个新的 Tabika Tunas Istimewa 班级，预计将使更多儿童获得适合其个人需求的教育和支持。

马来西亚托儿中心协会创始人兼主席吴春彪表示，这些举措可以扩大早期指导的覆盖范围，但其成功与否取决于合适的设施、训练有素的教师和优质的服务。

他表示，政府、专家、家长和托儿服务提供者之间加强合作至关重要，以确保自闭症儿童获得发展和福祉所需的帮助。

“我们希望新的中心和班级能够配备训练有素的教育工作者、合适的设施和优质的服务，并充分考虑需要帮助的家庭的需求。

“儿童是国家的未来，每个孩子都应该有机会学习、成长并充分发挥他们的潜力，”他最近告诉马新社。

42岁的幼儿园经营者林淑茵（Lim Suh Yin）有三个特殊需要的孩子，她也对为自闭症儿童设立专门中心的计划表示欢迎，并指出这些儿童需要专门的知识、技能和量身定制的教学方法。

她表示，教师必须了解每个自闭症儿童都有其独特的特征、行为和需求，以确保他们的学习和发展得到充分的支持。

“照顾和理解这些孩子需要特定的技能，因为每个孩子都有不同的特点和需求，对不同的方法也会有不同的反应。

她表示：“那些没有接受过专门培训的人可能难以理解自闭症儿童的行为，也难以找到适合他们的学习方法。”她强调，设立专门的中心或班级，配备训练有素的教育工作者和专业支持，对于促进自闭症儿童的发展至关重要。

43岁的穆利亚·艾娜·穆罕默德（Mulya Aina Mohamad）的12岁孩子患有自闭症，她说，开设更多专业课程的计划将给家长带来希望，尤其是那些来自低收入家庭、面临经济障碍而无法获得私立教育服务的家长。

她表示，合适的早期儿童教育可以让自闭症儿童在入学前参与学习活动、接受培训并获得适合他们需求的帮助。

“并非所有家庭都能负担得起私立教育，而农村地区的父母也很难为七岁以下的孩子找到合适的教育和指导，”她说道，并补充说，开设更多专业课程将有助于家长，提高人们对自闭症儿童的需求和可用支持的认识。

马来西亚首相兼财政部长拿督斯里安华在2027年财政预算案中宣布，将在彭亨州和马六甲州新建两座Permata Kurnia中心，为自闭症儿童提供教育、支持和培训；同时，将在全国农村地区开设130多个Tabika Tunas Istimewa课程，以改善低收入家庭自闭症儿童获得早期支持的机会。——马新社

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