Early intervention and education for children with Special Needs

Geraldine Retno Susan Mui Fong Li Li

Consultations with various stakeholders

 In order to gather information and understand more about the current landscape in EIPIC and SPED, the focus group was formed.

 5 Key findings were derived from discussion of the focus group.

Key finding 1    Call for changes in leadership configuration in the early intervention and education sector Current situation – Social service sector (NCSS) and VWO.

The relevant ministry that should govern this sector – MOE Shortfall – lack of expertise and skilled manpower.

– problem of staff retention  Concern for the quality of VWO management – dependent on individual VWO leadership, culture and preferences.

Key finding 2 Need for clarity of options and education pathways  DIRC – gap between clients’ expectation and DIRC’s delivery  CDU – no specific intervention services  Education pathway

Key Finding 3 Inconsistent quality of programmes and staff  Lack of widely shared frameworks  Inconsistent quality of teachers, principals and professionals  Limited options for children with learning disabilities

Key finding 4 Call for more structured integration with mainstream peers  No shared framework on planned and purposeful integration  Important to transit students with special needs into employment or further studies  Without better planned strategies, special needs students will be ill-prepared to live and work independently

Key finding 5 Appreciation for government’s greater focus on special needs.

 Potential for improvement is high

Recommendations

 Review the exclusion of children with special needs in the compulsory education act.

 Building quality.

 Six strategic thrusts.