The Down Syndrome Association has positively noted a letter Intellectual disability, TMID, 10 May regarding the right to adult education for persons with intellectual disability. This letter was written by the Movement in Favour of Rights for Persons with Disability.

The Down Syndrome Association fully agrees and supports the contents of the letter and urges the educational authorities to rectify this injustice as soon as possible.

Moreover, the association has just been informed by some of its members that as from this year, their children are being denied entrance into the special schools after they finish their fifth form (Form 5). Until last year our members could opt to send their children in special schools after they finish Form 5 (in regular schools) and remain there until they become of age to leave the specific school.

Then they could move on to the Adult Training Centres (ATC’s). Our members are now facing the bitter situation of having to keep their sons/daughters who have Down Syndrome at home – either because their children will not be the lucky ones to be chosen to benefit from the one scholastic year programme offered by the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) or else because this one scholastic year programme has come to an end for them.

The Down Syndrome Association is very concerned about this new present situation our teenagers are being forced to go through. Is it a wise and just decision to deny our adults who have Down Syndrome the right to continue their education until their “full development of the whole personality including the ability to work” (quoted from the Education Act) when the Education Ministry rightly and justly spends a substantial sum of money from the public’s taxes on our children to give them a good quality education at primary and secondary level?

It is the duty of the State – to promote education and instruction; to ensure the existence of a system of schools and institutions accessible to all Maltese citizens catering for the full development of the whole personality including the ability of every person to work; and to provide for such schools and institutions where these do not exist (quoted from the Education Act).

Faced with the present unhappy situation, the Down Syndrome Association kindly urges the minister to pass on to action now and implement the above – to provide for such schools and institutions where these do not exist. Due to their disability, our children need more time to develop their whole personality.

Pio Fenech

PRO

Down Syndrome Association