Towards inclusive schools

On behalf of Equal Partners Foundation I would like to comment on a recent editorial (September 9) dealing with the issue of inclusive education.

I am rather disappointed with the way in which this issue was presented and also with what was said. Indeed, a reform will hopefully be in practice soon, however a lot of good work is already being done by various organisations to include children with disability in schools.

Equal Partners Foundation has been operating for these past four-and-a-half years and most of its members attend mainstream schools. Unlike the bleak picture depicted in the editorial, schools and classmates generally cooperate and help to make the child's experience of school a positive one. In situations when the school or other parents have reservations about having a child with disability in their school, this is usually overcome after the initial settling down period when it is clear that the child is continually supported by his/her facilitator as well as by Equal Partners' professionals, who would visit the school regularly. At the end of the scholastic year, most schools find that the inclusion of a child with disability in their school enriched their educational experience and that of all their children and the child becomes an integral part of the school like any other student.

The acceptance of inclusion is manifested in the way the school manages to create a welcoming and challenging learning environment for all its students, appreciating their diverse needs. The success of including a child with disability/learning difficulties is influenced by how the child is introduced in the school, how the classroom teacher takes responsibility of all the students in his/her class supported by the class facilitator and other school staff together with other professionals working with the child.

Equal Partners had put forward a proposal to the minister, Louis Galea, and the then director general of education, Charles Mizzi. The proposal is called Challenging Moments - Supportive Schools regarding children with challenging behaviours receiving support from Equal Partners. This contained various suggestions on how parents and schools, together with staff from Equal Partners can create a community-based (home and school) transdisciplinary programme. This proposal involved training of staff as well as suggestions for a whole school approach which would enhance continuity.

We would certainly want to contribute towards the formulation of a policy and we hope to be in a position to implement this proposal. We also like to take the opportunity to thank all the schools and staff who collaborate with us to welcome children with disability in their school.