Inclusive education – a ‘political’ football

THE EDITOR: There seems to be a hype in the society at present, and an emphasis on inclusion of children with special needs, as seen by the many workshops being advertised on the subject. I hope this will continue and not fizzle out as many such worthwhile projects have done. But this push for inclusivity is not new.

As far back as the post-independence period in the 1960s in TT, policies were drafted to address the inequalities that are inherent in education, especially with those children perceived to be at risk of failing academically due to visual, cognitive, physical, learning, emotional and behavioural disabilities. However, little structural change has taken place in our schools.

In TT, educational policy seems to be now more closely linked to economic needs and productivity gains. One of the clearest indicators on this country’s policy and practice has been the cuts in Government’s allocations to the social and education services, which are possibly perceived as not contributing directly to the economic growth of the society.

The emphasis on individuality and difference in education is viewed as one of the guiding principles in “social order” restructuring in societies today. This approach advocates that schools accommodate all kinds of children, no matter their emotional, physical, linguistic, social and intellectual conditions. For this to happen, “there must be a change in the society’s values, priorities and policies that support and perpetuate practices of exclusion and discrimination” (Barton).

In 2007, the Ministry of Education’s Student Support Services Division (SSSD) outlined how TT would create an inclusive system of education that would provide seamless support for Trinidadians/Tobagonians from early childhood to post-secondary education. Of particular concern were those students who had learning challenges associated with cognitive or sensory impairments, visual, psychological, behavioural and/or other challenges. The ministry’s focus was to remove or minimise barriers to learning caused by inaccessible pedagogy, inappropriate expectations or environments with physical barriers. Talk yuh talk!

My concern is that education is not only about making schools available for all children to have access to them. Education has to be seen as being proactive in identifying the obstacles and barriers that learners (and their families) with difficulties may face. These obstacles are sometimes unqualified teachers, a lack of infrastructure, unsympathetic stakeholders who only see the economic costs of education, and/or resistant-to-change principals, teachers and heads of administration.

This country has consistently failed to develop programmes that respond to and respect the differences of children with special needs in a way that would include, rather than strategically exclude, them from mainstream schooling. But any change in education is a political issue. Only a government can, by its policy changes, by its action and its leadership, and by legislation, bring about the necessary changes in our schools.

However, as can be clearly seen, power relationships continue to be the underlying determinant of any change within the educational system generally, and of schools which fully adhere to the concepts of inclusion of this group of learners, in particular.

DR MARGARET, NAKHID-CHATOOR, clinical and educational psychologist