The lead story in yesterday's STAR made it perfectly clear that the education system needs to be revolutionised in order to accommodate students with special needs.

According to the story, at least one young man with special needs had some difficulty getting accepted into a sixth-form programme. Even though the young man had been very successful in his Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, several of the schools he visited were unable to accommodate him because they simply did not have the facilities. The young man uses a walker and most sixth-form classes are not held on the ground floor.

What is disturbing in all of this is that if this young man's parents were not determined, his education would perhaps end right at the CSEC level. Or, as his father mentioned, they probably would have been forced to send him overseas. Though we are not ignoring the fact that strides have been made in terms of catering to the needs of the disabled, there is still a very long way to go.

While ramps may help in certain aspects, these are not the only mechanisms that can or should be put in place. The authorities need to recognise that persons with special needs are excelling academically and provisions must be made to facilitate their further development.

Not everyone wants or can afford to send his or her child abroad and no child's dream should be stifled because of a lack of resources.