40 years ago, most Sabahans were ignorant about persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities; dismissing their “out of the norm” behaviours and difficulties as mental illness, to be referred to psychiatrists.

A group of 10 children aged 6 to 12 years old from the government primary schools were wrongly referred to the Bukit Padang Hospital (now known as Hospital Mesra) for psychiatric treatment because of their ignorance.

These children were not able to cope with the mainstream school syllabus, and the teachers did not know how to teach them or to handle their behavioural challenges.

At that time, the government schools had not yet set up the “Pendidikan Khas” classes for this category of students.

Subsequently, an expatriate psychiatrist the late Dr Sarbadikary, together with local and expatriate volunteers, in collaboration with the Sabah Mental Health Association, initiated the beginnings of “Sekolah Seri Mengasih” (as it was initially known then).

It was managed by a Board of Directors with the late Datuk Haji Mohd Safari Manan as the founding Chairman.

Three locals were the first to be employed as teachers to start Seri Mengasih’s class of 1981.