Principals responsible for special children

Education Minister Hazel Manning said yesterday that while her Ministry had been putting in staff and facilities necessary for special children, it was up to principals, teachers and the staff to accommodate these children. Speaking at a post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall yesterday, the Minister was commenting on the plight of the four deaf children who were placed in schools based on their SEA marks but are yet to be accommodated. “Our aim is to mainstream children with handicaps,” she said, adding that she knew it was a very difficult process for principals and teachers.

She said the Ministry had been talking with the principals, staff, and teachers in an effort to encourage them to welcome special children. She said a new unit in the Ministry- the Students Support Services Unit  had been “holding the hands of the staff members.” Manning who is proposing a programme of “full inclusion”, stated that on her recent visit to Washington she sought technical assistance and funding from the IDB for the programme. Manning said there were academic special teachers in a number of the secondary schools and this year the Ministry began supplying schools with equipment for special children.