Malta's first assistant director of education responsible for special educational needs within the Education Division, George W. Samuel, has passed away, aged 74, the Education Ministry said.

It said in a statement that Malta had lost a great educator, particularly in the field of special education needs.

All those who worked with him admired his great sense of duty - he was very proud that throughout his career he never applied for one day's sick leave. Although the responsibility he carried was a difficult and sensitive one, people who knew him cherished his honesty and his fairness.

During his time, great debates were taking place within the education spectrum regarding the need to include students with special needs within mainstream schools. He took an active part in these debates and in future plans to promote the change that was necessary, the ministry said.

Mr Samuel, who died yesterday, was instrumental for the introduction of the peripatetic service for home tuition for students with special needs.

Children who used to attend the Pieta' Unit were accommodated in two large schools, the Helen Keller School at Qrendi and the San Miguel School at Pembroke. Due to lack of space at the Msida School, George Samuel pushed for the opening of the Dun Manwel Attard School in Wardija.

Apart from his official duties, Mr Samuel was for many years honorary secretary of the Malta Society for the Blind and was later elected president of the same society.

During his presidency, the society changed its statute to become known as the Malta Society of the Blind whereby members with visual impairment became directly involved in the running of their society.

In recent years, he was president of the Dun Manwel Attard Wardija school council, and carried out sterling work at the Millennium Chapel in Paceville.

The Education Ministry extended its condolences to his family.