The government is increasing the cadre of special education teachers in the school system this academic year.

Education and Youth Minister, Maxine Henry-Wilson, has said that 120 new spaces have been created for special education teachers.

"We hope to be able to fill as many of these for the new academic year," the Education Minister said.

Mrs. Henry-Wilson, who was addressing an award ceremony for teachers who had participated in year-long course to detect language and communication disorder and delay, held recently at the School of Hope in Kingston, noted that the move is in keeping with the education transformation process, which is aimed at creating a more learner-focused system.

According to the Education Minister, the government recognises that the number of special education teachers that are leaving college "are nowhere near to the numbers that we need," and mentioned plans to "bolster the programme at Mico (Teachers' College)" and introducing a related special education programme at Sam Sharpe Teachers' College.

Stating that the process will require greater participation on the part of parents, Mrs. Henry-Wilson commented that "for every child, having a parent who understands, a parent who is involved, a parent who has information and knowledge, a parent who can guide the child along the appropriate path, makes all the difference to the achievement of that child. It also builds their self-confidence that they have that support that they need."

Parental support

Parents will also receive support through the Early Childhood Education Commission's recently launched comprehensive parenting programme, which involves threshold recognition of children, who are having learning difficulties.

Mrs. Henry-Wilson said that diversity in delivery will be a necessary part of the process and will include innovations such as the bundling of schools and rental of school spaces to address the needs in the system.

"We hope that during the course of this year, as we introduce some of the new institutions for the transformation process, that we will be able to bundle schools and provide special services for perhaps a number of schools, because we'll never be able to have one (teacher) for each school at this point in time," she said.

She observed that the idea of renting school spaces in selected government schools will address the needs of parents who may not be able to afford to send their intellectually challenged children to special institutions.

Under this initiative, the Ministry will also give support to teachers on the staff of the schools selected for this project.

"Over the last two weeks, we have signed off with a number of schools, because we want to ensure also that there is a level of accountability at the end of that process."

Turning to special needs students in higher institutions, Mrs. Henry-Wilson pointed to the provision of facilities for physically challenged students at the University of Technology and University of the West Indies and plans to increase these provisions in the teacher training colleges.

Additionally, the Bachelors degree (in special education) is being established at the Mico University College under the umbrella of the University of the West Indies.