Taarana’s Annual Day showcases special needs students’ skills; launches vocational programme for independence
TAARANA School, an award winning education centre for special needs education, is built on a foundation of unwavering belief in every child’s potential.
This spirit was on full display as the school recently celebrated its Annual Day, transforming a simple school event into a powerful display of achievement and confidence.
Far from being a typical school performance, the Annual Day is designed as a model for promoting independence and professionalism among students and teachers.
With this year’s Arabian market theme, the celebration showcased a stunning array of talents, featuring beautiful costumes, music and lighting, a star-studded cast of students, who displayed talent so unique, it had the audience of teachers and parents cheering them on.
Among the popular songs performed were, ‘A whole new world’, ‘Grease Lightnin’, ‘The Circle of Life’, and ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’. For these students, remembering complex sequences and performing in a stimulating environment are significant.
The teachers’ support on-stage and backstage: a quiet word, a visual cue, a steadying presence, was the unseen framework that made the on-stage magic possible. This allowed the students to transform themselves into the characters they represented with a dedicated focus, demonstrating remarkable cognitive and social progress.
The true triumph was not just in the songs performed, but in the life skills practiced: collaboration, communication and peservance. This Annual Day was far more than a concert.
It was a vibrant demonstration of how, with the right support system, students at Taarana are confidently paving their way towards leading independent lives.
Teachers from Taarana shared the impact of the performances and their significance in benefitting children’s confidence and skills development. They mentioned how taking the stage was a breakthrough for some of the students, while preparing for the performances helped them express themselves and also place their trust in classmates.
At the event also, students were honoured in categories that reflect the school’s core values, each award a testament to their unique journey and growth.
There were awards given out in several categories, for ‘awesome attendance’, ‘progressive award’ and individual awards for ‘amazing athlete’, won by Lai Rayden, the ‘AAC Star’ Award for Herveen Muralitharan, ‘Blooming Communicator’ award to Lew Wen Bin and for ‘Life Skills Champ’, Ayra Hannah Ahmad Redza was the recipient recognised in that category.
Reflecting on the overall students’ achievements, Datin Seri Umayal Eswaran, Chairperson of RYTHM Foundation said: “When we first imagined establishing Taarana under this foundation,our dream was simple: to create a place where children with special needs feel accepted, supported and confident to reach their full potential.
“Education is the foundation, but opportunity is the bridge. Through Taarana, we give exposure to special needs children, assist in building their confidence and help them step confidently into a world that needs and accepts their unique abilities,” emphasised Umayal.
Taarana School was founded in 2011 to fill a critical gap in Malaysia’s special needs educational landscape, which was the lack of dedicated, structured learning for children with special needs. The pioneers behind Taarana were the RYTHM Foundation, the social impact arm of the QI Group.
It has built a nurturing environment where children with diverse learning needs are encouraged to explore their strengths, overcome their challenges, and grow into confident, contributing members of society.
In 2024, Taarana earned a proud milestone, being named ‘Best Special Education Centre of the Year’ by Malaysia’s Private Educational Entrepreneur Association (PEEAM). In Sanskrit, Taarana means ‘awakening’ and this perfectly mirrors the organisation’s purpose, to awaken the potential within every special child.
This purpose was born from a deep awareness of the urgent need for better resources and support for children with diverse learning needs. Taarana believes that every child carries a spark of greatness and limitless potential, waiting to be discovered and nurtured.
The school has grown into a vibrant community of 11 teachers and 3 therapists, currently serving 28 children with diverse learning profiles, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Down syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and global developmental delay.
For Taarana, learning is not a one-size-fits-all journey. Each programme is crafted through years of collective experience and ongoing collaboration with child development and education experts.
Building skills beyond the classroom
Beyond the classroom, the Zero Waste@Taarana Programme helps students build life skills, social inclusion, and cultivate environmental awareness, turning learning into a journey of purpose and confidence.
A key highlight at the Annual Day was the soft launch of ‘The Magic of Recycling’, a custom-designed interactive workbook that makes available the topic of sustainable education accessible for special needs and is authored by Taarana teacher, Joanne Matilda John.
The book uses storytelling and interactive activities to teach sustainability, incorporating the principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
Designed for both neurotypical and neurodivergent learners, the book reflects Taarana’s signature philosophy: that education should meet every child where they are.
Through interactive cut-and-paste tasks, sorting exercises, and creative reuse projects, it turns environmental awareness into joyful discovery.
Celebrating students’ achievements
The Annual Day showcased not only the students’ achievements but also marked the announcement of the school’s latest initiative: the vocational programme for neurodivergent youth, set to launch in 2026.
The programme bridges the final gap between education and employment, helping students aged 16–25 build practical life and work skills in a supportive environment.
It is Taarana’s answer to a question faced by many families: What happens after school?
Taarana’s vocational programme model is designed to nurture both capability and confidence.
Students will gain hands-on experience in daily living, social communication, and work readiness, supported by job coaches, therapists and educators trained in neurodiverse learning methods.
This initiative also supports the national effort to create a more inclusive Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem, ensuring that neurodivergent youth are not left behind as the workforce evolves.
Dr Sunitha Sivakumaran, current Principal of Taarana School, said that leading Taarana is more than a role; it’s a mission.
A specialist in special needs education, Dr Sunitha has been instrumental in shaping Taarana’s holistic and child-centred learning approach for over a decade.
With her deep expertise, unwavering commitment and compassionate leadership, Dr Sunitha has guided the schools’ evolution and ensured that every programme is grounded in structure, creativity and empathy.
Under her guidance, Taarana has grown from a modest initiative into a recognised leader in special education. She has played a pivotal role in developing its core programmes such as early intervention, functional academics, pre-vocational training, and for the future, vocational readiness, each designed to equip students with the skills and confidence to thrive.
This progress is sustained by RYTHM Foundation, which empowers marginalised communities, with Taarana serving as a flagship project that turns this purpose into tangible action for families across Malaysia.
Umayal further emphasised: “Taarana represents hope and possibility. It’s not just a school, it’s a community that believes in every child’s potential, regardless of their challenges. Watching our students grow in confidence and joy reminds us why we started this journey.”
As the curtain closed on Annual Day 2025, one message lingered: Inclusion is not an act of charity; it is a design for the future.
Through initiatives like The Magic of Recycling and the upcoming Vocational Programme, Taarana continues to build bridges—connecting potential to purpose, and learning to life.
Because when every child is given the chance to grow, the whole community grows too.
