Shortcomings facing the disabled

The year 2003 was designated as the European Year of Persons with a Disability. During this year the movement has brought to attention a number of concerns. Looking back on what has been achieved throughout the year we acknowledge some improvements but there are still many shortcomings.

The lack of upgrading of the roads and pavements is a continuous shortcoming we are living with. But what is worse is that some newly constructed ones are being built with total disregard for the needs of disabled persons. Some pavements are too narrow, obstructions are still the order of the day, be they road signs, lamp-posts, dust bins or parked cars.

Another problem that has still not been resolved in certain areas is dog excrement.

Accessibility is also still lacking in educational facilities. Not all information available for the public is accessible by the deaf, the blind and the mentally impaired.

To date, not every student with a disability has an individual educational programme to achieve the goals of the national minimum curriculum. The lack of frequent assessments of these students does not support and direct the students to achievable progress. Sadly, in the majority of cases, educational psychologists are being excluded from any input towards this end. There is no support service for facilitators and no supervision whatever on these employees. We need hardly emphasise the need to make the right choice of facilitators according to the particular needs of each disabled student. The shortage produces hardship for the student himself and has obvious negative results. The shortage of professional employees is also present in special schools.

We have been highlighting the importance that formal teaching of children with intellectual disability cannot be allowed to stop at the age of 16. One has to keep in mind that these children would have the mental capabilities of a child much younger than their biological age. The pilot project whereby such students will receive continuing education at MCAST (Malta College of Arts, Sciences and Technology) was a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, we are informed that this will only extend their student years by one single year!

"It is the duty of the state to promote education and instruction, to ensure the existence of a system of schools and institutions accessible to all Maltese citizens catering for the full development of the whole personality including the ability of every person to work and to provide for such schools and institutions where these do not exist" (Education Act).

During the European Year of Persons with a Disability, a number of students were not accepted to attend the adult training centres due to lack of carers. Thanks to pressure and support by the movement, today these students have been accepted at these centres. Time and time again our movement has asked the people concerned to plan well ahead so that such incidents do not repeat themselves. Apart from this shortcoming, the service given in some of these centres is not up to the required standard.

When a person with a disability is not given the proper education and adequate training he will find it very hard to work. Students with a disability are not being taught and trained to have access to the labour market.

Again, a step in the right direction, but like everything else in life it creates its own specific problems. The majority of us fear the unknown and may take a lot of time before adjusting to altered circumstances. So do the disabled persons. They require professional help to soothe their transition to these homes.

Clearly the demand for these homes is exceeding their availability and we must plan ahead to meet future demand.

It is the responsibility of the state to provide good services needed by the persons with a disability. The reality of limited resources puts on each and every one of us a responsibility to exploit these resources to the maximum benefit and to prioritise without any hint of discrimination.

Marthese Mugliette, Phyllis Portelli, Grace Zerafa, Juan and