Policy for Students with Special Needs

Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Senator the Hon. Ruel Reid, says a special Education Policy, which seeks to fulfil the academic requirements of students with special needs, is to be rolled out.

The policy, which will complement the Disabilities Act, makes provision to safeguard and enhance the welfare of persons with disabilities across Jamaica.

Senator Reid made the announcement while addressing a session at the Jamaica 55 Diaspora Conference at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, on July 24.

He explained that the policy will seek to create a framework to more closely track the development of children with special needs from birth. This, he noted, will make it easier to design programmes to help the children transition into the formal education system.

“It also seeks to protect the rights of children and youth with disabilities against discrimination in the educational setting and will also promote awareness of students’ right to qualify for education,” Senator Reid said.

The policy will also speak to how children will be placed, how they will gain access to schools, and provisions that should be available for them, including qualified staff, and the required student-teacher ratio.

It will provide guidance for assessment procedures and standards, and will not only focus on students with disabilities, but also cater to gifted and talented children.

Additionally, it will take into consideration the role parents need to play in the education of their children as well as collaboration with other stakeholders.
The Diaspora Conference will end on Wednesday, July 26.