When it comes to choosing a school, parents here in Singapore are spoilt for choice. There are so many childcare centres and centres that offer a variety of pre-school programmes that the parents don't know which to choose...
Unfortunately, parents of special needs children like us don't have that luxury. It is truly a blessing if we can just find a school that will accept our children and a double blessing if the school suits our budget. Dr Lim Sok Bee, the doctor in charge of Rayyan's case at KKH, wanted us to place Rayyan into an ICCP Programme where he gets to go to school regularly. She told us that the ICE Programme (which is 2 hours per week) is insufficient for Rayyan and he needs to interact more with peers his age.
The thing is, we would love for him to be enrolled in an ICCP Programme, we would love for him to interact more with peers his age.... BUT... it is not easy to get into an ICCP Programme!! There are limited places in each centre and the demand is of course so much more than supply. We have applied for Rayyan to be placed in an ICCP Programme since January this year but the reply was a disappointing 'Sorry, no vacancy'.
We know of several private centres with an ICCP Programme in place but the fees are exorbitant and they are usually located in the town area. Living far in the East and having no transport of our own, well, it is inconvenient for us to enrol Rayyan there. So what do we do??
We were getting pretty desperate actually, especially so since Rayyan will be 5 next year. I was thinking of enrolling him in any of the pre-school centres around Pasir Ris/Tampines area and wrote to several centres, telling them of Rayyan's condition and practically begging them to accept him. The replies were just as disappointing... they informed me that even though some of the teachers have attended special needs courses, they are not trained to handle a special needs child... And that got me thinking.... Why then go for the course????? Is it just to fulfill some kind of requirement??
I was totally frustrated!! I mean, I know it is not easy to handle these special needs children, I do empathise with the teachers... but I would be grateful if they just give him a chance to attend the classes. We even guarantee the centres full parental support and are willing to help the teachers in any way we can.....
They don't know Rayyan and they don't know what he's capable of... If they at least try and in the end, if they really can't handle him, then well, I would totally understand if they tell me that we need to withdraw him from the centre. But the least these centres can do is give children like Rayyan a chance.
Here we are... talking about a society that empathise with people with special needs, people who are less fortunate but yet, we are unwilling to give people like these a chance, a chance to prove themselves and show what they are capable of.....
Anyway, I was so desperate that I was even thinking of enrolling him without informing the school of his condition. Let them find out for themselves! I mean, I have tried being honest so that these centres know what they are dealing with and we can work things out together but if that doesn't work, then I should just keep quiet about it and let them handle it themselves. Yes, I was THAT desperate!!!
But in the end, I thought that it will not benefit Rayyan. I want a centre that is sincere in helping children like Rayyan. I want a centre that will help Rayyan grow.... So we persevered and continued to scout around for a suitable centre for Rayyan...
And you know what, like they say, good things come to those who are patient and persevere... Last week, while picking Rayyan up from his ICE Programme, the teacher, Ms Susila, told us that they want to offer Rayyan the ICCP Programme for 2011. And only God knows how happy we were when we heard the news!!! Thank you God!!!
So we would like to say a big THANK YOU to...
Mrs L H Lau, the Principal of PCS (Tampines)... Thank you for your willingness to give Rayyan a chance and take him in...
Ms Susila Stephenson.. Thank you for guiding Rayyan throughout his whole ICE Programme, for having faith in him and recommending him for the ICCP Programme...
Ms Lina (gosh, I am so sorry but I don't know your full name)... Thank you for your willingness to have Rayyan in your class next year... You know that it's not easy but thank you for your enthusiasm and willingness to take on the challenge...
Children like Rayyan need us to have a little FAITH in them so from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your FAITH in him.. May God bless you :))
PS: In conjunction with the festive season, I would like to wish my Christian friends a joyous and blessed Christmas :) Merry, merry Christmas!!
