Children with special needs are missing out

 IT has been more than 20 years since the inception of Special Education Plan and Policy. 

The government decided to formulate and implement this policy in our education system for two main reasons. 

The first was to uphold the spirit of the five goals and directive principles enshrined in our Constitution. 

The second reason was that PNG is one of the signatories to the United Nations and therefore, it has the responsibility to follow and uphold any human rights’ laws and policies at this international level. 

The National Curriculum Statement 2002 contains the much criticised OBE which is likely to be replaced by a standard curriculum states that curriculum should be inclusive.

These policy guidelines emphasise inclusive education that children with disabilities should have the same right of access to education together with normal children where it is feasible. 

The policy also states what the government should do to help children with special needs to learn effectively with other normal children.

However, this policy is not working effectively in our education system now although provisions have been put in place in this policy on how the government would support the implementation of this policy.

Teachers in the elementary, primary and secondary schools are not paying any special attention to students with special learning needs.

The government should do something to fix this loophole because children with special needs are not properly taught and they are missing out in education. 

James Iki, Via email