SINGAPORE - Special needs students at Katong School will now have two industrial-grade kitchens to hone their skills and improve their chances of landing jobs in the Food and Beverage (F&B) sector.

The two kitchens - one for general cooking and one for baking - will feature stainless steel tops and specialised equipment including high-heat ovens, large metal fridges and industrial-sized mixers.

The kitchens, which cost almost $82,000 to set up, were launched on Wednesday. They were made possible by a donation last October from Sands for Singapore, the corporate social responsibility division of Marina Bay Sands. The division has also sponsored programmes at other special needs schools including Metta School, Chaoyang School and Tanglin School.

Katong School principal Lim Cheng Liew said the kitchens are in line with a recent curriculum revamp that aims to prepare students for the realities of working life.

"Children with mild intellectual disabilities have slower cognitive processing and poorer memories," she said. "It's important to familiarise them with actual industrial equipment, so that when they finally go out to their jobs they will have the confidence to cope."