Republic Bank concerned about special-need children

REPUBLIC Bank Ltd recently contributed to the Special Child Foundation by sponsoring a teacher for the Foundation’s Special Education Programme, which is a joint effort between the Foundation and the Lady Hochoy Home in Gasparillo. The four-year-old programme, consistently supported by the local commercial bank, allows teachers from pre-schools, primary and secondary schools as well as individuals from other voluntary organisations, to be trained in special education at no cost. Training includes clinical work in learning disabilities and speech language pathology.

On completion of the programme, participants receive official Lady Hochoy Home Advanced Diploma certificates. In receiving the bank’s contribution, Chester Lakatoo, founder of the Special Child Foundation noted, “We must come together and improve the lives of special children in our nation.” He expressed hope that other corporate citizens would come forward to serve “this largely neglected section of society.” The Special Education Programme’s goal is to ensure children with disabilities such as Autism, Downs Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Dyslexia, can receive voluntary assistance at no cost to the child’s parents.