FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1978
SECONDARY SCHOOLS URGED TO OPEN SPECIAL CLASSES
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THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. COLVYN HAYE, TODAY APPEALED TO MORE THAN 200 HEADS AND TEACHERS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO GIVE THE IR FULLEST CONSIDERATION AND HELP IN THE OPENING OF SPECIAL CLASSES IN THEIR SCHOOLS.
MR. HAYE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF A SEMINAR ON SPECIAL CLASSES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS AT THE GRANTHAM COLLEGE OF EDUCATION. IT WAS ORGANISED TO DISCUSS THE PROVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AT SECONDARY LEVEL,
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+THE SPECIAL AND RESOURCE CLASSES IN ORDINARY PRIMARY SCHOOLS HAVE ALREADY PROVED SUCCESSFUL,+ MR. HAYE SAID, +AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT WITH YOUR CO-OPERATION AND GOODWILL, THE PROVISION OF SPECIAL AND RESOURCE CLASSES IN ORDINARY SECONDARY SCHOOLS WILL ALSO BE SUCCESSFUL,+
THE NEED FOR THE PROVISION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AT SECONDARY LEVEL IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR AROSE FROM THE GOVERNMENT STATEMENT
IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR REGARDING COMPULSORY JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION.
+ONE MAJOR CONSEQUENCE OF THIS POLICY IS THAT ALL PRIMARY 6 PUPILS, REGARDLESS OF ABILITY AND ATTAINMENT LEVEL, WILL BE PROVIDED WITH FREE FORM 1 PLACES IN SEPTEMBER 1978. THESE WILL INCLUDE THE PARTIALLY SIGHTED, PARTIALLY HEARING, MALADJUSTED AND SLOW LEARNING PUPILS WHO ARE NOW IN PRIMARY 6 SPECIAL AND RESOURCE CLASSES.
+HITHERTO, THE MAJORITY OF THESE PUPILS HAVE HAD TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL AFTER PRIMARY 6 BECAUSE THEY DID NOT PERFORM WELL ENOUGH IN THE S.S.E.E. FROM SEPTEMBER 1978, THEY WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A FREE SECONDARY PLACE AND BECOME PART OF THE SECONDARY SCHOOL SYSTEM.
+MANY OF THESE PUPILS WILL STILL REQUIRE SPECIAL ATTENTION,+ HE SAID. IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT ALL PUPILS, INCLUDING THOSE IN NEED OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, RECEIVE THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT FROM THE FREE EDUCATION WHICH IS NOW TO BE PROVIDED FOR THEM, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE NOW EXPAND PRIMARY SPECIAL EDUCATION INTO THE SECONDARY LEVEL.+
+ IN THE INTERESTS OF ALL SECONDARY PUPILS, THE NON-HANDICAPPED AS WELL AS THE HANDICAPPED, WE MUST PROVIDE FOR THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND AS ADEQUATELY AS WE CAN,+ HE ADDED.
MR. HAYE SAID, THOSE OF YOU WHO DO PARTICIPATE IN THIS VERY WORTHWHILE EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGE CAN BE ASSURED OF THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.+
MISS ELIZABETH ROWE, PRINCIPAL EDUCATION OFFICER (SPECIAL EDUCATION), SPOKE ON THE INTEGRATION OF HANDICAPPED PUPILS IN ORDINARY SCHOOLS, EMPHASISING THE RATIONALE AND IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRATION AND THE BENEFITS TO BOTH HANDICAPPED AND NON- HANDICAPPED PUPILS.
/SHE SAID,