Special needs cuts - Priorities seriously questionable

The Government’s system of priorities must be seriously questioned when it continues to target the weaker sections of the community. Today the Dáil will be discussing a Fine Gael motion in relation to the cutting of special needs classes.

Back in February, Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe announced that 128 classes for children with mild general learning disabilities would be cut in 119 schools around the country, because there will not be the necessary nine children with the needs to form such classes in those schools. Fine Gael is suggesting that classes be merged with neighbouring schools in order to generate sufficient numbers.

The minister, on the other hand, is advocating that students with special needs should be amalgamated with their peers in regular classes. Most children with learning disabilities join their own age group for general subjects such as physical education, art and religious studies, but they benefit from greater attention and help in special classes.