SINGAPORE - Students with dyslexia, a learning disability, can now get support from a new learning centre in Henderson that will cater to the increasing demand from primary and secondary school children in the Bukit Merah area.
It will cater to about 300 students, which is more than the 180 students that the previous centre in Queenstown Primary School served, and which this centre replaces.
The Henderson Learning Centre by the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) will also provide bursaries to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
More than 53 per cent of the students from the previous learning centre required financial assistance.
Over $2 million has to be raised each year to provide bursaries for students from lower-income families, DAS said on Monday (March 28).
Students with dyslexia form the biggest group with special educational needs in Singapore and have to cope with other learning challenges, it added.
President Halimah Yacob officiated the launch of the centre at Block 95A Henderson Road on Monday, and added finishing touches to a painting made by DAS alumnus Nuh Syazwan Muhammad Zulkarnaen.
The painting will be auctioned to raise funds for DAS.
Mr Syazwan, 19, started attending classes at DAS' Jurong Point Learning Centre in Primary 3 when his parents found he had difficulty reading and speaking.
He said it was frustrating not being able to do simple tasks like his peers, such as reading menus and ordering food at the canteen.
"The learning at the centre was very different, which helped. They take the time to slowly teach you everything and see what you're capable of," he added.
Mr Syazwan attended classes at the centre until he finished secondary school last year. He will be pursuing interior design in Singapore Polytechnic this April.
The Lee Foundation donated $50,000 towards the construction of the centre.
Attending the launch of the centre, MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC Joan Pereira said: "DAS' newest learning centre will benefit the students in our community with dyslexia and other learning differences and need our support to unleash their strengths.
"Working in synergy with our other community partners, DAS will help us make another significant step towards continuously bolstering community resources for our residents."
