2 new initiatives to help students with special educational needs: Indranee Rajah
SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Education (MOE) is providing more financial assistance to students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) at institutes of higher learning.
It will also be enhancing SEN training for all educators in mainstream schools, said Second Minister for Education Indranee Rajah in Parliament on Wednesday (4 March).
Speaking during her ministry’s Committee of Supply debate, she said MOE has developed a new SEN Professional Development Roadmap to better equip educators to support students with SEN.
“MOE will work with (the National Institute of Education) to strengthen the inclusion of SEN support strategies in pre-service teacher training. For in-service teachers, MOE will launch bite-sized online learning resources in phases, from this year,” said Indranee.
Support for students with SEN is one of the focus areas of the SkillsFuture for Educators scheme that was also announced on Wednesday. Currently, about 80 per cent of students with SEN study in mainstream schools, with the remaining 20 per cent attending Special Education (SPED) schools.
MOE will also be extending its SEN Fund to cater to a wider spectrum of learning needs, said Indranee.
From 1 April 2020, polytechnic and ITE students with language and learning difficulties, along with social and behavioural difficulties such as dyslexia and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), can apply for up to $5,000 each to purchase assistive technology (AT) devices. The same support will also be offered to students with SEN enrolled in the country’s autonomous universities.
Started in 2014, the fund is aimed at helping polytechnic and ITE students with physical or sensory impairment to purchase AT devices to help with their education. Thus far, about $675,000 has been disbursed through the fund, benefitting over 120 students.
“MOE will continue to work with schools and IHLs to strengthen support for students with SEN, to ensure that they, like all other students, receive the support they need to maximise their potential,’ said Indranee.
With regard to SPED schools, she noted that funding for such institutions had been increased by 40 per cent over the last five years. Since January, six SPED schools have also lowered their fees by at least 25 per cent fo Singaporeans.
The ministry is also working with social service agencies to open three new SPED schools. One of the schools will support students with moderate-to-severe SEN who have both ASD and intellectual disability, while the other two will support students with moderate SEN who have ADS and can take on the national curriculum.
Responding to a suggestion from Jalan Besar GRC MP Denise Phua to extend the exit age of SPED schools, Indranee noted that while the exit age currently stands at 18, students with academic or vocational national certification can stay enrolled till the age of 21.
Of the 422 SPED school students aged 18 last year, 150 are still in the schools this year. “Most will progress to open employment before the age of 21,” said Indranee.
Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore
More Parliament stories:
All Secondary 1 students to have personal learning device by 2024: Ong Ye Kung
More focus on mental health, cyber wellness in Singapore schools
