LONDON, Nov 9 — The School in Hospital (SDH) project will be further strengthened through the sharing of experiences and best practices from numerous aspects and methodology, with a renowned children’s hospital in London.

The Malaysian deputy prime minister’s wife, Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman, who is also Hati Nurani Project patron, said the strengthening in terms of best practices was very important in identifying and deciding the changes needed to improve and reinforce the implementation of SDH programmes in Malaysia.

“Every sharing of experience and information will give a new perspective in identifying the needs and actual problems to enable us to better solve any issue which arises,” she said after visiting the Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital.

The hospital is a renowned pediatric hospital which started the School in Hospital project since 1951.

Noorainee said the sharing was not just gathering of data but would enable both parties to access information through a cooperation network based on information sharing.

“The visit to the school was aimed at helping the education and health ministries to find a suitable methodology for numerous SDH programmes, as carried out in other developed nations,” she said.

Noorainee said SDH in London started its network programme with the original school which was an important component in ensuring continuous communication between students and teachers in the original school and SDH.

“Such networking programme is important to ensure students can experience a normal life when they return to their original schools,” she added.

She said with complete record and date on the level of learning of the students at SDH, the teachers at their original schools could decide on the level of learning of every student to ensure they were not left behind.

“SDH stresses on the provision of a conducive environment and suitable teaching and learning aid with the readiness of every student who is undergoing treatment at the hospital,” she said.

Noorainee said, to date, there were eight SDH in Malaysia and two more were expected to be opened this month.

“We laud financial contributions from the corporate sector to ensure the SDH programme runs smoothly,” she said.

The SDH pioneer programe was launched in July 2011 at three government hospitals, namely, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Ampang Hospital and Serdang Hospital.

Among the subjects taught in SDH classes are Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mathemetics and Science.

Classes are conducted in the mornings and evenings, namely, from 10am to noon and from 2pm to 4pm.

The Schools-in-Hospital project was set up in several developed nations such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, in line with the suggestion of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation which stresses on Education for All. — Bernama