LEARNING DISABILITIES

Any action by Government to develop programmes to assist children with learning disabilities should recognise that a contributory factor in the demotivating of these children, and one that needs to be urgently addressed, is the continuing over emphasis on academic education. The estimated 50,000 children in Trinidad and Tobago today identified as having learning disabilities should be taught to use their hands in a carefully structured Practical Education stream, rather than be part of the wholly academic process, in which they are all too often at a disadvantage, save in extremely rare cases. They are clearly exposed to the real possibility of a continuous lowering of their self esteem, when pitted in unequal competition with achievers in academic streams.

Instead, they would be more than likely to develop a feeling of self worth in competition with others of their own steam and more or less of their own ability. This would enable them to be more productive members of the society. The estimate of approximately 50,000 children with learning disabilities was advanced by Dr Leonard Bernstein, President of the Multi-Disciplinary Academy of Clinical Education (MACE) of the United States at a workshop hosted on Sunday by the Ministry of Health and MACE. The announced aim is the development of a framework for the establishment of a National Child Development Centre. Bernstein pointed out that recognising a problem was one thing, the other part of the equation was appropriate intervention.

Trinidad and Tobago does not have to re-invent the wheel with respect to intervention strategies for intellectually disadvantaged children. Not only have studies been made in several countries, including the United States of America and Canada, with respect to intervention approaches to children and adults with learning difficulties, but the US and Canada have established streams at the primary and secondary levels — academic, vocational and practical. In addition, special approaches to the grading and evaluating of the students have been formulated.
In turn, there is a Head Start Programme in the United States for pre-school children of lower income families and minority groups. Head Start incorporates, in addition to education, the provision of nutritious meals, social, medical and psychological services. A fee is charged, depending on the incomes of the parents. Minister of Education, Hazel Manning, speaking at Sunday’s workshop, advised that while “some students” would be diagnosed at the primary level, there would be a need for continuous identification and remediation at the secondary level “with an added focus on their personal/social and career development.”

Merely, diagnosing “some students” at the primary level clearly will not come anywhere near to dealing, or seeking to deal effectively with the approximately 50,000 children in Trinidad and Tobago with learning disabilities. It is in effect the side stepping by Government of a crucial problem involving a not insignificant portion of the nation’s school age young. The Education Minister would have heard Dr Bernstein point out that recognising a problem was one thing, another was appropriate intervention. And for her at this point to hint at “some students” at the primary level being targetted, represents, however unintentionally, a dismissal by Government of the concerns of the majority of the 50,000. The Administration may plead a lack of funding, but its insistence on reserving the Red House for the Prime Minister, and shifting Parliament to a new site, which will cost hundreds of millions of dollars undercuts any lack of funding approach.