Schoonord’s Special Needs School set for March commissioning
DPI, GUYANA, Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Children in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) with learning and attention disabilities will soon benefit from a special needs school at Schoonord, West Bank Demerara, which is slated to be officially commissioned in March.
Construction and provision of equipment for the initiative, undertaken by the Regional Democratic Councils (RDC) was allocated $30M under their capital projects for 2017.
Regional Executive Officer (REO) Denis Jaikaran.
According to Regional Executive Officer (REO) Denis Jaikarran, the major infrastructural works have been completed which leaves only minor finishing touches before the official commissioning. Jaikarran said the regional administration will continue to monitor the project to ensure that it is completed properly and to schedule.
While the facility caters for approximately 25 to 30 students, the staff/teachers will be selected according to the number of students enrolled when the school opens.
The REO expressed his gratitude for the establishment of the facility, he noted that is a significant achievement for the region to be able to provide access to appropriate educational facilities to children with special needs.
Jaikarran stressed that the establishment of such a facility shows the steps taken in overcoming prejudices and specialised assistance given to these children to ensure they receive an education designed to meet their needs. This in keeping with the Government’s agenda to provide access to education for all of Guyana’s children.
Last year, Region Three launched a Special Education Needs (SEN) classroom/unit (SEN). This unit was then attached to the Wales Primary School after it was recognized that several children within communities, in the proximity of the school, faced learning challenges. This followed similar initiatives taken in Region Seven and Georgetown.
The regional administration will continue to maintain the SEN unit.
The Ministry of Education has crafted a strategy to place Special Education Needs (SEN) schools in the 10 administrative regions, and to provide each region with its own SEN Officer.
By: Neola Damon
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