The Big Read: Special needs education has come a long way but true inclusiveness still a work in progress

mainstream primary school, Ms Annette Chua’s nephew was unable to adapt to his new surroundings.

She subsequently enrolled her younger nephew, aged 12, whom she is also a caregiver to, and her son, aged nine, in Pathlight School.Ms Chua said that she is caring for her nephews as their parents, who are divorced, have mental health issues and are unable to fulfil their parental responsibilities. To promote inclusivity, the Government has also set up partnerships between special needs schools and general education schools to promote intermingling between children.

Under the Ministry of Education ’s classification, students with special educational needs include those with learning disorders such as dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and mild autism spectrum disorders, as well as disabilities such as sensory or physical impairments.

The rest attend special education schools that offer a customised curriculum which helps them to attain skills necessary for further education and training, employment and independent living. The programme was renamed School Partnerships earlier this year to cultivate more collaborations between students in these schools, as well as professional exchanges between teachers to build their capabilities.A student from special education school Grace Orchard School interacting with a student from Rulang Primary School during a coding class on March 23, 2023.

It meant that the education system had to improve its existing resources and infrastructure to accommodate more children with special needs, said Mr Chew, who has also been a teacher in mainstream schools for close to a decade. Within mainstream schools, allied educators providing learning and behavioural support were also renamed as Special Educational Needs officers last year. The move was significant as it signalled a recognition that there is a need for dedicated officers to serve children with special needs, he added.CHANGES IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION LANDSCAPE

This year, Grace Orchard School started a pilot programme to group its students based on their cognitive skills and abilities, rather than their language and mathematical skills.

Source: Education Headlines (educationheadlines.net)

2/ For Ms Annette Chua’s eight-year-old nephew who was diagnosed with mild autism, adapting to mainstream primary school was hard.

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