Consultation in education

Your leading article (September 9) reflects the sentiments of the vast majority of parents and teachers who are against inclusive education because they rightly believe that this slows down the bright students from moving forward.

Our education history is full of episodes when the education system was unilaterally changed by our educationalist/politicians to the detriment of the students and, subsequently, reversed after a lot of harm was done.

Our educationists insist on the parents' participation in their children's education but at the same time these are often ignored in the decision making. The education authorities simply impose their decisions on the unwilling parents who are supposed to be responsible for the choice of the education of their children.

It is unbelievable in this day of dialogue and consultation that our educationists did not find it wise to consult the parents and teachers through a referendum about this change.

After all it is they who will be directly involved in the reform. Many teachers I talked to told me they are not ready to sacrifice willing students because of the system. They will simply adopt their own system in their classes.

With this helpless situation it is no wonder that many parents silently show their disapproval of the government's education policy in public schools by making great sacrifices to find a place for their children in private schools or Church schools.

Naturally, they follow the great believers in inclusive education who are not ready to send their children to public schools.