Special schools to be reformed

The four state schools for disabled children will no longer work alone but will be transformed into coordinated centres that will each offer a different phase of primary to post-secondary education.

San Miguel, Helen Keller, Guardian Angel and Dun Manwel Attard would be incorporated within the college system, according to a proposed reform of special needs schools launched last week.

The number of students attending special schools has gone down because more have been included in mainstream education.

All together, there are 16 students aged between four and 10 in the four schools, 78 students aged between 11 and 15, while 100 students are aged 16 and over.

The reform document notes that, currently, each of the four schools has to cater for the different levels of education - primary, secondary and post-secondary - putting a strain on specialisation and resources.

Educational Services Directorate director general Micheline Sciberras said 0.36 per cent of students attended special schools.

However, under the present system, students attending the four schools did not experience the different phases and the transition, say, between primary and secondary school.

There were also insufficient opportunities for students, teachers and other support staff to liaise with mainstream schools and to share good practices and experiences, she said.

The reform proposes that San Miguel will be transformed into a school focusing on primary education, Guardian Angel on secondary, Helen Keller on post-secondary and Dun Manwel Attard into a young adult education resource centre.

Through the re-organisation some students would have to move school but the move would be carefully monitored and planned out with family and professionals.

Education Minister Dolores Cristina said this reform was the next logical step in progress towards inclusive education.

The present system had a lot of positive elements with many disabled students being in mainstream education, she said.

The reform, which should get underway in the next scholastic year, is expected to take at least two years to be fully implemented. A consultation period on the reform will end on August 15.