LETTERS: As I become more reflective in life, I have become more inclusive too. What is inclusion? It is the thought, emotion and act of being included in a group or structure.
In Malaysia, inclusion in education is accepted as including special needs children in mainstream schools.
Goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals prioritises quality education.
I did my post-doctoral studies on inclusivity in education across the globe, where my focus was not just on special needs children but all those involved in the educational sphere.
It is inclusive of providing equal opportunity to every child to achieve and maintain an acceptable level of learning. This is because every child has unique characteristics, interests, abilities and learning needs.
It's early 2024, so most schools and educational institutions are finalising classroom-based and summative assessments.
Top pupils are given awards, and parents and teachers are happy.
If inclusion is the core of education, then every child in the education system should be acknowledged.
The excellent ones, especially with good memory power, will shine as usual and become the pride of their family and friends.
The weaker ones should be motivated and given merit for their formative assessment and soft skills that they might have obtained.
For me, as an educator, pupils who started from almost nothing to being self-disciplined, knowing what their weakness and strength were, are the ones I celebrate the most.
The move from full examinations to different ways of assessing pupils provide for inclusion.
Inclusion in education for the 21st century starts from self, then to family, school and society.
It needs reminders from the Education Ministry to include all children in our education system to bring out their full potential.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DR VISHALACHE BALAKRISHNAN
Coordinator of SULAM @ Service Learning,
Universiti Malaya
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times