ENB teachers train in special needs

 EAST New Britain has selected 21 teachers to undertake the applied diploma course on special education.

The course was introduced last year by the Callan Services Institute in Goroka and has begun in the highlands region.

The 18-month course is to educate teachers on how to teach children with special needs such as hearing impairments.

Tom Coulter, based with the Callan Institute in Goroka, said teachers would be taught skills and ways to deal with these children.

“The purpose of this course which had gained a lot of interest among teachers is to give them knowledge, skill and experience to work with such kids,” he said.

Coulter said the teachers were highly motivated.

“They have an incredible amount of commitment and are giving up their own time and paying their own fees to do this training and they will not be getting a pay rise when they go to their own schools.

“They have a real commitment to these children.”

Head of the Callan Services Institute Paul Valuka said the teachers were currently doing the first unit which was the self-study unit.

He said the teachers would graduate with a diploma in special education.

Valuka said there was a lot of teachers who showed interest but they did not have time to lodge applications.

“To keep this interest going, we will be introducing the second batch of teachers after this,” Valuka said.