Dear Minister of Education,

I am writing on behalf of all children with special needs that clearly require enhanced and particular educational aids. You are certainly aware that in Malta 2.57% of all children attending state, Church and independent schools have individual educational needs.

A close look at reality

We cannot hope to understand the actuality of this sector without posing a series of questions among which are:

• Are all children being assessed at an early stage on their educational needs?

• Are children found to have special needs being assisted and aided early in their educational career?

• Is the statementing board adequately composed to cater for today’s complex realities and needs?

• What type of help is being offered and in which schools and educational centres?

• Is inclusion being implemented to the detriment of the children with special needs that struggle to maintain the pace of their colleagues?

• Do such pupils follow the same educational programme with identical methodologies as the rest of the class?

• Is the system being assessed continuously? Is the progress of the student with special needs through such systems being assessed adequately?

• Is the in-service training offered to facilitators, teachers and senior management teams adequate? Which continuous profession development opportunities are available?

• Does the present infrastructure include parents and private institutions?

• What is the financial investment in resources required by special needs pupils?

• In what way and to what extent are schools physically accessible to children with special educational needs?

These questions warrant an answer together with tangible actions in all schools.

Consolidating national consensus

There is general consensus on an encouraging number of principles and arguments not least in education. In its latest political document on education, the Malta Labour Party is basing its vision for a modern education system on five principles including that education must be inclusive in the widest way possible.

Among the principles and practices over which there is consensus, I am pleased to note the following:

• The needs of all children with special needs must be catered for;

• These needs are normally met in mainstream education;

• The parent’s initiatives are heeded and the children’s wishes are heard;

• The parents’ educational support for their child is vital and essential;

• Children with special needs must have a relevant, balanced and extensive education including that specified in the National Minimum Curriculum.

Education is the key to a brighter future of opportunities for our children and young generation. Disabled and special education needs children are still facing serious obstacles in the attainment of the best possible education. Many a time, aid given is based on the social and economic status of their families and not their needs.

An effective strategy (not written only)

I regret, Minister of Education, that the policy for inclusive education was not implemented effectively and systematically during the educational life of the child. The few strategies designed to promote inclusive education did not function as desired.

I also regret that the financing of inclusive programmes was inadequate to achieve the desired results. The legitimate aspirations of the children with special needs, their parents, carers and society in general are not being met. Is this the way to ensure that no child will be left behind? Therefore, I believe that teachers and carers must be trained to be able to provide an acceptable education to children with special needs. All children must have the opportunity to learn, play and develop together. Parents need to feel confident about their child’s schooling without seeking services elsewhere.

Neglected principles

Allow me to remind you that principle eight of the NMC specifies that inclusive education should be understood as the vow of the educational community to recognise individual differences and to implement inclusive policies. This principle recognises the wide range of interests, potentials and educational needs of students. In their reaction to the draft of the NMC, teachers had said that they did not feel prepared to take on such a huge task and I regret that very little was done to address these concerns.

I firmly believe that we need a clear vision and that the Ministry of Education should adopt a sustained national strategy for the benefit of children with special needs. I strongly recommend that in your government’s policies you consider the following:

• Early intervention on children with learning difficulties and parental access to childcare centres;

• Removal of barriers to learning through the employment of inclusive practices in schools and early setting;

• Increase expectations and gains through the training of teachers that will acquire the required skills needed to help children with special educational needs;

• A better coordinated approach through the accessibility and availability of all related services to those involved including the families.

Let’s get the facts right, now

Let us get down to action primarily by amending the Constitution and the Education Act (1988) so that they will include the provisions for inclusive education.

Educational systems are there for our children and schools need to be truly inclusive, not merely physically inclusive. Our schools still focus on the collective to the detriment of the individual, while in many cases excluding children that do not fit into our rigid system. A system based on examinations that invariably will leave children with special educational needs behind and traumatised.

The report that you commissioned made a series of important recommendations that I suggest you take up immediately. Every disabled child should have a personal assistant, while class teachers in general need a qualified assistant to participate holistically in all aspects of schooling. Allow me to remind you that the report suggested a better organisation of the Directorate for Student Services and International Relations.

The same report also calls for the designing and provision of training for heads and teachers that never received such training. Such training should be part and parcel of continuous professional development programmes. The government needs to seriously consider the financing of this sensitive and delicate sector.

I have no doubt that we essentially agree on the real situation of this delicate sector and that we all want the very best for all our children and that no one is left behind. Therefore, Minister of Education please lets get down to business, stop talking and start doing.

Frank Fabri

Labour Candidate on the Seventh electoral district