TEMPO.CO, Bengkulu - Education and Culture Ministry has announced that it would officially open an autism center in Sungai Serut district, Bengkulu province.
It said the center, which serves as an integrated education for children with special needs, is built on a 8,000-meter square of land and is scheduled to be inaugurated by President Yudhoyono tomorrow, February 9.
Education and Culture Minister Mohammad Nuh said the opening of the autism center serves as a step to anticipate the number of autistic children, which continues to rise.
"Children with special needs cannot be taken care of with general services," said Nuh when inspecting the center in Bengkulu, yesterday.
It is expected that the ministry will also build the same centers in all capitals of the provinces.
In addition to provide education for autistic children, Nuh has also instructed Head of Bengkulu Education Agency to also make the center, which occupies a two-storey building, as a computer center.
"Therefore, the locals can also benefit the center," said the minister.
Besides in Bengkulu, the Ministry is also expected to build autism centers for middle education in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi and Pontianak, West Kalimantan.
Minister Nuh said one of the considerations in building the centers is the preparedness of the land in the respective regions.
"When a region has prepared the land, then we’ll build it," he said.
Nuh further said the ministry allocates a fund of Rp7 billion to build an autism center.
TRI ARTINING PUTRI
