For Cikgu Vonn, every child deserves the chance to belong
After his own child was diagnosed with autism, Velerie Wheelervon Primus left mainstream education to rethink how special-needs children could learn, grow and belong in rural Sabah.
Velerie Wheelervon Primus, widely known as Cikgu Vonn, discovered his passion for special education following his child's diagnosis with autism spectrum disorder. Prior to his career shift, Cikgu Vonn had spent seven years in mainstream education at SK Tuarid Taud Keningau, where his students amassed more than 60 awards and the school achieved six world championships.
Yet, his personal journey into special education prompted him to undergo a year of training and earn a doctorate, driven by a desire to comprehend the emotions and inner world of students with special educational needs.
Cikgu Vonn's innovative approach, encapsulated in the "Miracles" programme, places the individual sensory, emotional, and learning needs of each child at the core of their education. To create a suitable learning environment, Cikgu Vonn utilized his own resources, transforming a former teachers' quarters into a multisensory room complete with a specialized area for settling students, a STEM room, and a therapy area.
His commitment to his students' unique needs became evident when a non-verbal, non-verbal, and non-independently managing child with autism transformed from a diaper-dependent nine-year-old to a capable individual capable of reading and self-care within two years.
His success in special education garnered recognition when he was awarded the Malaysia Teacher Prize in 2024 and named the Southeast Asia and Pacific regional winner of the Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards. Despite the challenges, Cikgu Vonn has continued to innovate and support his students through initiatives like NeuroHope, which empowers parents to develop individual education plans for their children, and NERI, which shares training and best practices in special education with communities in Sabah and Malaysia.
Through these efforts, Cikgu Vonn emphasizes the importance of understanding, accepting, and loving those who perceive the world differently, ultimately advocating for a more inclusive society.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- For Cikgu Vonn, every child deserves the chance to belong freemalaysiatoday.com
