Strengthen Disability Services, East Java Governor Khofifah Inaugurates the First State SLB-B 

JAKARTA - East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa inaugurated the B Extraordinary School (SLB-B) Karya Mulia Surabaya as the first state SLB in East Java to strengthen access to education for deaf people with disabilities.

"After the administrative process is completed and officially submitted to the East Java Provincial Government through me at the Grahadi State Building, then this SLB B Karya Mulia becomes a state," he said as quoted by ANTARA.

He said the determination of the state status for SLB-B Karya Mulia started from the desire of the management foundation to hand over the management of the school to the government, which was then continued with administrative and legal stages through a notary.

With the status as a state SLB, SLB Karya Mulia now provides complete education services ranging from elementary school (SD), middle school (SMP), to high school (SMA) specifically for one type of disability, namely deaf.

The East Java Provincial Government continues to strengthen the development of skills for SLB students, both soft skills and technical skills.

"Today we also inaugurated the rehabilitation and revitalization of seven SLBs. Previously, on January 2, three SLBs in the Malang Raya area have also been renovated and revitalized," he said.

A total of seven SLBs that have been rehabilitated and revitalized include the Kemala Bhayangkari 2 Gresik SLB, the Muhammadiyah Gresik SLB, the Dharma Mulia Gresik SLB, the Harapan Mulya Gresik SLB, the Gedangan Sidoarjo State SLB, and the Pucuk Mojokerto Regional Putra SLB.

He hopes that the improvement of facilities and infrastructure, including more comfortable study rooms and educational murals, will be able to create a fresher learning atmosphere and motivate special needs students.

Khofifah also conveyed the plan to develop a research center that will be synergized with the Regional General Hospital (RSUD) dr Soetomo, Islamic Hospital (RSI), and SLB Karya Mulia. The center is focused on early detection of disabilities, even during pregnancy.

"Accessibility and synergy are very important so that people with disabilities have adequate support, including access to the world of work," he said.

Head of the East Java Provincial Education Office Aries Agung Paewai said that currently there are around 147 state-owned SLBs and around 1,500 private SLBs in East Java.

"There are still about five areas in East Java that do not have state SLBs. The socialization of the Karya Mulia SLB is an initial initiation, starting from Surabaya," he said.

He explained that the SLB settlement aims to ease the burden on the foundation while providing free education services for students, accompanied by more optimal facilities support from the government.

"Special education is not only academically oriented, but also on strengthening competencies. At SLB there are various skill majors such as etiquette, fashion, and beauty," he said.

Aries also appealed to the public not to hesitate to send children with special needs to SLB because the teaching staff and facilities have been prepared according to their competencies.

"Don't let children be forced to go to public schools if the facilities and teachers are not adequate. In SLB, the competence of teachers and facilities are complete," he said.