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Education Ministry reaches out to special students

Jul 13, 2011 News

The HIV/AIDS Unit within the Education Ministry recently donated a quantity of stationery and hygiene kits to students of Sophia Special School and the David Rose School for the Handicapped.
The initiative supported by the Special Needs Unit and Peace Corps volunteers was part of activities organised by the Education Ministry to reach out to differently-able learners.
The items donated include towels, soap, HIV/AIDS readers, back packs, pens, pencils and rulers. The HIV/AIDS Unit also recently donated a quantity of hygiene kits to pregnant mothers at the West Demerara Hospital.
HIV/AIDS Unit Coordinator Janelle Swetman said often, in the push to raise HIV/AIDS awareness among the populace, differently-able persons are excluded even though they are most vulnerable to exploitation, notably contracting the virus though coercive activities.
She said the outreach aims to raise awareness among children of this group in an effort to shield them from exploitation so that they can live normal and productive lives.
The Education Ministry in September will introduce a new curriculum in special needs schools which is extensively based in New York City’s State HIV/AIDS curriculum for special students.
During the July/August holidays, special school teachers will be trained to impart the various components of the curriculum. The HIV/AIDS and the Special Needs Education units will also be developing HIV sign language posters, audio recordings and Braille HIV/AIDS readers for the deaf and visually impaired.
Recently, some 25 teachers across the country have completed initial training in sign language, as the Education Ministry widens its focus on education delivery to include all groups of learners.
The School Health Unit has also been screening early grade learners for vision and hearing impairments, and parents are being trained to conduct initial screening.
Children suspected to have problems are referred for diagnosis to the relevant health authorities.
This exercise has been extended to Region Two and education officials are work closely with professionals at health centres in that region.
The National Centre for Educational Resource Development is currently offering a non-graduate course in special needs education for special school teachers. This programme is also open to non-special school teachers.
The Associate Degree in Education programme being offered by the Cyril Potter College of Education, also provides training in special needs education.
There are 12 special schools in Guyana, with a combined population of about 1000 students, and a staff of 67 teachers.
Some of these schools from time-to-time prepare candidates to sit the National Grade Six Assessment and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC).

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