Foundation proposes plan for post-secondary students

The Equal Partners Foundation is proposing a plan to provide intellectually impaired students with a meaningful post-secondary experience.

The foundation has met representatives from the Office of the Prime Minister, the opposition, MPs and the Church, among others, who have verbally supported their cause.

Foundation president Colin Galea said the foundation had also been asking, since March, for a meeting with the Education Minister, to no avail.

In a press conference held in reaction to the government's pre-budget consultation document, the foundation yesterday welcomed the fact that the document included "quality inclusive education for all".

The foundation sees some hope in the fact that the document highlights the intention to offer a vocational educational programme for those over 16 with an intellectual disability.

While welcoming this decision, however, the foundation noted that none of the stakeholders - parents, students or schools - had participated in the formulation of that programme.

Apart from this, with just four weeks to go from the next scholastic year, no application forms or prospectus were available.

The foundation feel that the section on Quality Guidance in Learning and Training Pathways needs to be developed further and its plan of action could, if the government wanted it, be introduced seamlessly.

The plan envisages more adult outcomes for these students, greater autonomy and the enrichment of their lives. The plan has the backing of the foundation's 180 members.

The idea is to make the plan public, while calling on the government to develop the pre-budget document to provide these people with a meaningful life.

The foundation has been working on the plan for the past six months. The proposals are based on its experience and practice, together with its observations of centres of excellence in Europe.

The foundation is also proposing a pilot study that would include transition programmes starting from Form 4.

The foundation is a firm believer that children who learn together live together and that the emphasis should be on inclusive education and not on special schools.