IPPN

Published: 11 February 2009

Source: INTO

The INTO has strongly criticised the decision of the Department of Education and Science to close 128 special classes in primary schools without warning. The classes are for children with mild learning difficulties and are located in local national schools throughout the country.

These classes provide special education support for children in mainstream primary schools. Generally the children in these classes had been unable to fully benefit from the curriculum in regular mainstream classes. The special classes are part of the range of options available to special needs children from special schools to full inclusion in mainstream primary classes.

John Carr, General Secretary of the INTO, said the decision was indefensible and cannot be seen as anything other than an attack on special needs provision in the country. "On a day when eight billion is being provided to bail out banks the Education Department is axing seven million in funding to special needs children. The Minister should be called upon to answer for this decision in the Dail."

"The decision was made purely on financial grounds," said Carr. "The National Council for Special Education has commissioned a report on special classes. Yet before this is published the whole infrastructure is being pulled down. It is certainly not being made on educational grounds."

He called for the decision to be reversed immediately pending the publication of the report and full discussions with all concerned.