The new Minister for Education and Science is facing a huge challenge to provide extra resources for special needs pupils in schools according to the INTO.

The full roll out of the Education for Persons with Special Needs Act is imminent and according to primary teachers there are huge resource implications for government.

"If government fails to resource that legislation then the act as intended will be unimplementable. This is one of the most progressive pieces of legislation to come on the statute books for years," said John Carr, general secretary. "It must not be allowed to fail children through government failure to provide the proper resources." He was speaking at a conference on Special Education organised by the INTO in Portlaoise.

According to Carr the implementation of EPSEN will require major training for all 30,000 primary teachers and 25,000 members of school Boards of Management. "There will also be a need to find time for teachers to meet and plan with other professionals," said Carr. "The type of planning required for these children is not the sort that can be done over a rushed tea-break or during a chance meeting on a school corridor."

Under the Act children with special needs will have a legal entitlement to an individual education plan setting out specific education goals. This will involve all health and education professionals involved in a child's education. "If proper manageable procedures for the drawing up and implementation of these plans are not put in place then individual education plans will not happen."

Comments (0) »

Show/Hide comment form

Name

Email

Title

Comment

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment