The National Commission for Persons with Disability expressed disappointment at comments made by the Malta Union of Teachers president that the inclusion of students “remains a headache”.

In a statement yesterday, the commission said it felt the MUT’s comments were unfair given the problems in the classroom were not the fault of students with disabilities. The problem was with the logistics they had no control over.

Students with disabilities were not at fault if the system, which had been operating since 1994, had shortcomings, the commission said.

MUT president Kevin Bonello had said that, in most cases, inclusion was working but there were some schools where it was not.

Children with certain health conditions and disabilities are not learning and are holding back their classmates. A solution must be found

“Children with certain health conditions and disabilities are not learning and are holding back their classmates. A solution must be found to these few, extreme cases,” Mr Bonello had insisted.

But NCPD chairman Oliver Scicluna said teachers should adopt a non-formal way of teaching if inclusion is to be successful.

Shifting from formal to non-formal teaching methods – that allow children to, for example, learn by doing – would allow children with disabilities or learning difficulties to cope better, Mr Scicluna said.

When contacted, Mr Scicluna elaborated that the current system relied on formal learning, based on rigid structures in terms of learning objectives and learning time that lead to certification.

Shifting to non-formal learning, which was not as rigid, would benefit all students, including those with disabilities and learning difficulties.

It was unfortunate that, in his comments on Friday, Mr Bonello grouped all disabilities under one umbrella when there were many different forms, Mr Scicluna said.