Divert GATE funds to special education

THE EDITOR: The Ministry of Education receives a lion’s share of our annual budget. Student Support Services along with the schools are tasked with providing the necessary supports for children with special educational needs in our inclusive education system.

The concern is that enough resources are not being allocated to provide the optimal supports for children with special educational needs in our schools towards the best quality of life and outcomes for these children. For decades we have pumped taxpayers’ money into free tertiary education and not provided equity for special education.

Now that scholarships have been cut down and GATE funding reduced it is envisaged that the extra funding would be diverted to special education.Here is a list of areas that need addressing:

* Greater funding to student support services so that children with special educational needs can be better supported.

* Teacher aides: There is need for the provision of adequate numbers of teacher aides in the nation’s schools.

* Psych-educational assessments: These assessments should be provided by the education system for free. Many children do not get psych-educational assessments done and the cost privately is very high ($5,000-$7,000).

* Need for more social workers, guidance officers and school counsellors.

* Early intervention programme for children months old to three years with special needs. This is non-existent in our education system or health system.

* More government remedial and special schools.

* Upgrading the skills of educators in the school system to manage children with special educational needs.

* Special education teachers: Training of more special education teachers.

* Peer mentoring programme: Peers are educated and sensitised to the needs of children with special needs.

* Provision of speech therapy and occupational therapy in the public health system.

* Transition: Provisions to facilitate the transition of children with special educational needs through the education system from prior to preschool, to primary school, to secondary school, to tertiary education and into the world of work.

DR PRITHIVIRAJ BAHADURSINGH

lecturer, child health, UWI