| Wani Roslan |
IN CONJUNCTION with the International Day of Disabled Persons which is celebrated annually every December 3, an awards presentation ceremony for the qualifying round of ‘Art Competition for Children with Special Needs Around the World 2016-2017’, was held yesterday at the Atrium Hall of The Airport Mall in Berakas.
Organised by the Special Education Unit (SEU) under the Ministry of Education, the art competition was open exclusively for all Bruneian students with special needs in both primary and secondary schools.
A total of nine students received the awards for winning the top three places in each of the categories – Art Drawing, Handmade Toy and Photography – in the recently held competition.
For the Art Drawing category, first place went to Muhammad Khairi bin Abdullah Khairul Azli from Pengiran Isteri Hajjah Mariam Secondary School in Serasa. In the Handmade Toy category, first place went to Nurul Aziqah binti Abdullah Mohd Sharin from Sufri Bolkiah Secondary School and in the Photography category Norazirul Hafiz’zudin bin Abdul Aziz from Keriam Primary School won first place.
The awards were presented by the guest of honour, Pengiran Haji Rosli bin Pengiran Haji Halus, Acting Director of Administration and Services at the Ministry of Education.
Haji Ali Yusri bin Haji Abdul Ghafor, Chairperson of the Organising Committee and Acting Head of the Special Education Unit, in his welcoming address underlined that a total of 60 students with special needs from the age of five to 18 years participated in the competition.
Pengiran Haji Rosli bin Pengiran Haji Halus, Acting Director of Administration and Services at the Ministry of Education, presenting the prize to Nurul Aziqah binti Abdullah Mohd Sharin from Sufri Bolkiah Secondary School, winner of the Handmade Toy category.
The guest of honour taking a closer look at an artwork of a participant of the ‘Art Competition for Children with Special Needs Around the World 2016-2017’. – PHOTOS: WANI ROSLAN
“There were three categories – the Art Drawing category with the theme ‘Egypt in the Eyes of Children of Special Needs in the World’; Photography category for portraits, architecture, environment and others, and the Handmade Toys category for making toys,” he said.
He added that the artworks of all nine winners have been sent to the Arab Republic of Egypt as Brunei’s entries for the Art Competition for Children with Special Needs Around the World 2016-2017’. The artworks will be judged on December 30.
The art competition aimed to spot local talent among students with special needs across the country as well as to bring a better understanding of the unique individual needs of these students.
Also seen during the ceremony was the presentation of a token of appreciation to the organiser of the ‘Back to School’ Festival, Malar Maju H&H Enterprise.
There were also several activities organised to promote awareness on special needs such as hearing impairment, dyslexia, autism and others.
The International Day of Disabled Persons strives to promote a more inclusive and equitable world for people with disabilities by removing barriers such as those relating to the physical environment, information and communications technology (ICT) or in terms of attitudes.
The post Disability does not hamper one’s creativity appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.