With the introduction of mainstream education very few realise that we still have places of education for children who at one stage in their educational path move out of mainstream education and are received by resource centres. These centres continue to develop the child’s educational abilities and do so in a manner as needed by each child.
A change in school is never easy for any child or parent. It often means change of friends, teachers and learning support assistants and a complete change of environment. The move is only done if it is considered to be in the best interest of the child. A visit at Helen Keller Resource Centre made me very conscious of the efforts made by all the staff to ensure that each child continues to develop his or her educational abilities. It also reminded me of the visit I made some months ago at San Miguel. I met educators there, teachers, learning support educators and educators in administration, who clearly do their utter best to give everything possible to their students with the little resources they have.
This is a place of education that provides its students with the equipment that they and their educators need. Students are thought numeracy, literacy, and general knowledge. They are thought of events that take place in Maltese society and participate in the Qrendi community where the school is found.
They do have some necessary equipment but the educators at this centre are very resourceful. When the funds they are given by the Ministry are insufficient to buy resources, the educators at the centre find ways of making that equipment themselves often by recycling materials that they find. The school council, made up of parents and grandparents, dedicate time and a lot of effort in trying to provide for the school everything that it needs.
One thing that struck me most is the feeling of a family that one finds in this school. Every child is known to the Head, Assistant Head, teacher, learning support assistant and to members of the council. The dedication of these persons is exemplary. Teachers have to think hard and take a lot of time to plan on how to teach every child as is needed by that child. Each child has successes. In using the computer, their IT teacher makes sure that each child is given access to computing through the necessary equipment and training.
They do have however very few human resources. For students who learn mostly through sensory methods, touch, movement, eye to hand coordination, and sound they have an art teacher who visits the school only for one morning every week and similarly for music. For students for whom physical movement comes with a lot of effort but is much needed they have a physical education teacher for very few hours every week.
The centres are not a child minding service. Children and youths attending these centres are students. This is why much more resources and funds are to be given to centres such as that of Helen Keller. These are students in whom we cannot stop investing.
Therese Comodini Cachia is a PN MP and party spokesperson for the Media, Culture and National Identity.