Learning disability classes to be cut [Irish Health]
- Published: 11 February 2009
Source: Irish Health
by Deborah Condon
A decision by the Department of Education to shut down 128 classes for children with learning disabilities throughout the country has been severely criticised by teachers.
According to the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), the classes are for primary school children with mild learning disabilities and the decision to close them came 'without warning'.
"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," the organisation explained.
The department has written to the affected schools instructing them to stop these special classes from next September. It said that these schools no longer have the number of eligible pupils required to retain a teacher for this purpose.
INTO general secretary, John Carr, has described the move as 'indefensible' and an attack on special needs provision in this country.
"On a day when €8 billion was being provided to bail out banks, the Department of Education axed €7 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," Mr Carr said.
