MoE presents special learning kits in Region Five

The Ministry of Education’s Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) Unit distributed work kits to parents of special needs children at the Blairmount Primary School, West Bank Berbice, Region Five.

Minister of Education Sonia Parag presented the parents with the kits at a simple ceremony held at the school on Thursday.

Assistant Chief Education Officer Special Needs, Dr Keon Cheong and Regional Education Officer for Region Five, Selestine Bristol LaRose, were on hand for the distribution.

“I am very pleased that through the President’s initiative, we are able to have this presentation today. This is important because students who require special care, you have to tailor their learning process, you have to tailor how you will get from one milestone to the next to suit that child,” Minister Parag explained.

“This package allowed us to do that. It was created and established to do that. So, this is also a guide for the parents,” she said.

The minister noted that this initiative will be rolling out at the various centres across the country, which will be equipped with the necessary learning resources and physiotherapists.

There is a plan to focus heavily on speech therapy at these centres to further assist in the development of the children. There are currently seven SEND centres across the country, with three in Region Five.

ACEO Dr Cheong said the distribution of the learning kits aligns with the mission of MoE and the vision of President Dr Irfaan Ali.

MoE has created learning packets for parents to assist their special needs children at home.

Tashana Ward, the parent of an eight-year-old child with special needs, said the package will assist her significantly because it contains resources that she can use everyday.

“The package pertains to stuff that they use in school, like the cards and the playdough, which will help with his motor skills. He has cerebral palsy, so the playdough and also placards will help with his motor skills,” the young mother explained.

The initiative targets SEND learners between the ages of 3-12 and addresses the categories such as learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, fragile X syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, blind and visually impaired and the deaf and hearing impaired.

The education minister also engaged parents in discussions and pledged the People’s Progressive Party Civic’s (PPP/C) commitment to the continued assistance and development of the nation’s children.