Taarana, the very first special needs school in Malaysia, was recently established under our pillar of education. The aim of Taarana is to provide a quality education facility for young children between the ages of 6 to 16 who face challenges with delayed development in academic, social and adaptive skills, also known as Mild Intellectual Disability (MID).
It is a basic requirement that schools catering to children with special educational needs such as ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia or Down Syndrome be equipped differently, provide a specialised curriculum and have teachers who have been trained specifically in handling such children.
Taarana, in partnership with APSN Singapore, follows a special primary and secondary curriculum which is relevant and responsive to a constantly changing society and world. The curriculum is divided into three main areas: Functional Academics, Life Skills and Aesthetics. Functional Academics will cover Literacy, Numeracy, Information Technology and Language. Life Skills will include Self-help, Social Competence, Social Emotional Learning, Family life, Moral Education and Sexuality Education. Aesthetics will consist of Physical Education, Swimming, Arts and Crafts, and Music and Movement.
Taarana currently operates from a temporary centre in Kuala Lumpur, but will soon be developed into a fully equipped, purpose-built school, to cater for a larger number of kids up to the age of 16. Through the school, we hope to help students make a smooth transition into mainstream society, with the ability to lead a fulfilled, normal life.
