Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah latest to join ‘School in Hospital’ programme

ALOR SETAR: Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah has become the latest hospital in the country to provide education to students who are warded in hospitals under the “School in Hospital” (SIH) programme.

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the hospital is the 16th of 17 hospitals in the country to participate in the programme.

“This programme is vital, especially in ensuring that no single children are left behind in their studies,” she said at a press conference after the launch of the hospital’s SIH programme on Sunday (Aug 6).

Fadhlina said her ministry will look into extending the programme to other hospitals in the country and that the matter has been forwarded to the Health Ministry.

She said a discussion with Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa has been held to explore other hospitals in the country that could adopt the SIH programme.

Fadhlina added that she is thankful to the Health Ministry for allocating space for the Education Ministry to implement the programme at government hospitals.

“We realise that space is the main issue for the programme to be run at government hospitals and we don’t want to disturb the hospital’s operations either,” she said.

The SIH programme started in July 2011 and aims to help students receive their education while recuperating in hospitals.

The programme was mooted by then-deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s wife Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman, who was the programme’s first patron.

The programme syllabus is based on a fun learning approach where students will be taught in an enjoyable learning environment as well as creating a positive effect on the child patients’ recovery process.

Fadhlina said the programme will be available for all children from Year One to Form Five who are recuperating at hospitals.

“These children will be taught by well-trained teachers from the Education Ministry,” she said.

She said other than SIH, the ministry has several other programmes such as Sekolah Bimbingan Jalinan Kasih (SBJK) for underprivileged children and Prison Integrity Schools for juveniles.

She said such efforts provide all children access to education regardless of where they come from.

On the implementation of schools for the hardcore poor, Fadhlina said she expected the new school type to be ready by next year.

“We need a little bit of time, the plan is already in the pipeline. We will inform the public soon, when it is ready and operational,” she said.

She said the school will be run on a special mechanism and must have a clear direction so that it can be successful.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had mooted an idea during ‘Meet Anwar’ programme at Penang Matriculation College at Kepala Batas on Saturday (Aug 5) to implement a new type of school specifically for students from hardcore poor families.

Anwar reportedly said this school would be set up within the framework of a science-based secondary and fully residential school (SBP) system.