Head and Heart for Special Needs Children

I was a high-performing teacher for 13 years before I started Bizara with a former student of mine, Wan Mohd Aiman Adli. He came up with the name, derived from the Arabic word bidzaro, which means to sow seeds. Our idea was to nurture young children, who are akin to seeds. But in our case, these children have special needs.

We began operating Bizara as a homeschool in Selangor in 2018, educating children with dyslexia and developmental issues to master the 3Rs (Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic). We also provided a 4-month programme for dyslexic SPM students and a 9-month post-SPM skills training in fine arts, photography, and graphic design, so that they would have practical skills for future employment opportunities.

I’m originally from Kelantan, so when we received overwhelming demand from parents in that state, we considered moving there. Kelantan has more spaces, more serene environments, friendlier neighbourhoods, and requires less cost. So in late 2022, we moved to Kubang Kerian.

Two families actually moved with us! Another three students stayed with us as part of an anak angkat (adopted child) boarding programme. The parents wanted their special children to continue learning with us. That was a major moment of trust in the quality of education we provided and continue to provide.

As of this month, we have grown from 5 educators and 5 students to 25 educators and 60 special needs children, a strong number to compete with the best special needs department of a government school in the state.

Over the years, from just one homeschool, we have expanded to 2 centres: Bizara Care Centre and Bizara Educare Centre. We have taught 150 children and equipped 250 parents with knowledge and strategies to enhance the development of their children, who might have dyslexia, autism, Down syndrome, learning disorder or other developmental challenges.

For us, special needs children are pure and bring a peculiar happiness into your life, so we don’t turn away any of them. The parents too are relentless and indestructible in their fight to educate their children, which motivates us further.

Higher education is very important, especially if you’re involved in the education sector. So it occurred to me to upgrade my knowledge and qualification, to complement my bachelor’s degree in art and design.

Word of mouth is always the best marketing. One of my clients is a lecturer at OUM and a few of my friends had graduated with teaching diplomas from there, so they put in a good word regarding their learning experience.

I’ve also been to a few other universities for consultation and I think OUM is the best. When I went to the main campus in Kelana Jaya to enquire about the postgraduate programmes, I was greeted and welcomed in the best manner. I had a really good discussion and consultation with the then Programme Director for Master of Education, Dr Gurcharan Singh Bishen Singh. His expertise and insight helped me in deciding to pursue the programme, with focus on school leadership.

Leadership could make or break anything, from a sports team, to a business, a political party, or even a country. I started Bizara from scratch, as we had no funding, teachers, building or syllabus. Lack of resources meant that we had to be extra creative and bold enough to try out new things. We built up its system, culture and teamwork, engaged with students and counselled the parents.

I couldn’t have done it on my own. I needed a partner and a team. With a few people to work with, I could provide the leadership needed. This enabled us to operate like a school, even though we’re still not big enough to be called one. I’d say Bizara is special because of the roughly 23 people who make up its staff.

My master’s has provided me with trustworthy and reliable credentials as the founder and director of a unique educare centre for special needs children. It offered immense knowledge and practicality in my journey as an educator. Each topic was structured into a coherent body of knowledge that really benefited my work.

The programme director, lecturers and staff were really helpful whenever an issue arose. The online learning mode also put student needs and interests first, which is very important if you have a busy working life like me.

My thesis revolved around my leadership and Bizara’s approach and culture, so it motivated my team and I to upgrade our system, strategies and methodologies.

It also challenged the approach of medical professionals who mostly hold on tightly to certain medicines, therapy and treatment methods in dealing with the learning and development of special needs children. I would say my thesis set us apart from health professionals and government school teachers.

My master’s has also set up a great starting point for me to conduct research into alternative special needs programmes, paving the way for a PhD in the future.

If you are interested in the Master of Education programme, please do go meet the programme director and team. They will help you decide whether it suits you and your career. As far as I’m concerned, the master’s is worth the money and commitment I poured into it, as it has vastly benefited Bizara.

Learn about Master of Education at https://www.oum.edu.my/all-programmes/postgraduate-programme/master-of-education/

The Programme Director, Dr S. Vighnarajah P.K. Selvarajah, can be contacted at vighnarajah@oum.edu.my