The ministry and the division of education are offering training to over 500 Learning Support Assistants – Supply/Kindergarten Assistants (facilitators) to upgrade their training and qualifications and therefore improve the quality of the support they offer to students with disability, in line with the Inclusive and Special Education Review (Spiteri Report) recommendations.

The Special and Inclusive Education Network is a network of special schools coordinated by George Borg, who also coordinates the learning support given to all students with individual educational needs. This network has been working on the recommendations of the Spiteri Report to improve the quality of the services offered.

Yesterday, the first two groups of Learning Support Assistants were awarded Certificates of Attendance. The 125 participants undertook the course Supporting Pupils/Students with Individual Educational Needs, which involved a 70-hour theoretical input, held over two evenings per week for a period of 10 weeks, and a practical input, where participants were also offered supervision during school hours.

The ceremony was held in the Robert Samut Hall in Floriana, and was presided by Education Minister Louis Galea. Also present for the ceremony was the Director General of Education, Cecilia Borg and the Special and Inclusive Education Network Coordinator, George Borg.

Addressing the awardees, Dr Galea said the government had a clear policy of equal opportunities for all. He said that for some time now, the government has been offering students with disability the support they needed to be able to succeed. “This however is not enough. We want to ensure that all children get all they need to be able to succeed and to ensure this we are working hard to offer a higher quality of education at all levels and to all students whatever their situation.”

Dr Galea said that half way through 2005 he was given the recommendations by the working group on inclusive and special education. These recommendations dovetailed with the Educational Reform which was proposing a new network organisation for schools.

Dr Galea said that contrary to what was being alleged by some in the printed media, this network was bringing about considerable, positive change and today’s ceremony was a concrete example of what the network was doing to improve the quality of education for students. He said the network and the ministry were working on various recommendations of the Spiteri report, including the restructuring of the various units and sectors involved, the training of teachers and Learning Support Assistants, the development and provision of more resources and services and the networking of special schools and mainstream schools to ensure policy implementation.