Education and Training for children with disabilities in public schools in

Cyprus

Presentation By Dr. Kyriakos Pachoulides

Educational Officer Commissioner for Children’s Rights

OfficeENOC 16th Annual Conference Nicosia, 11 – 12 October 2012

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One of the competences the Law sets out to the Commissioner is:

“to monitor and follow up the legislation and practices and to submit proposals, aiming at the harmonization of the legislation with the relevant international treaties”

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The report drawn from: Complaints by individual children or/ and group of children (through parents’ associations) Consultation with Professionals in the field of special education (teachers, special educators, school

psychologists, academicians / specialists) The Young advisor’s team Parents’ Associations Commissioner’s visits to schools Minutes of a number of meetings of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and on

Human Rights which discussed related issues

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After its completion: The Report was presented by the

Commissioner before the Parliamentary Committee on Education in the presence of the Minister of Education and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education.

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Structure of the Report International Legal Framework

Convention on the Rights of the Child Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Τhe Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special

Needs Education. The Salamanca World Conference on Special Needs Education

The National Legal Framework Law for the Education and Training of Children With Special Needs

114 (1) / 1999 and 2001 Education of Children with Special Needs Regulations 186(I)/ 2001The Regulations for the Early Detection of Children with Special Needs

(185(I)2001)Remarks – Comments – Suggestions - Proposals

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Remarks – Comments – Suggestions - Proposals Cross -cutting Issues :

o Committees for Special Education (Central Committee, District Committees)

o Individualized Educational Programmeo Professional Development Programmes o Coordinating Officers

Pre – elementary education Elementary Education Secondary Education Family / school relations

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Cross Cutting Issues Committees for Special Education for Special

Education (Central Committee, District Committees)Need for Organizational Enhancement More permanent structure Members not ex officio but based on their scientific/

educational background Supported by Interdisciplinary Regional Evaluation

and Support Centers o Individualized Educational Programme

Time for the Coordination between the class teacher(s) and the special education teacher

o Regular Professional Development Programmes

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Pre – primary Education Improvement of the procedures for Early Detection of

Children with Special Needs - Screening Tests – An open debate

Establishment of an interdisciplinary group of experts for immediate intervention – support the work of teachers in the class

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Elementary school Time for class teachers for coordination/ collaboration with

Special Education Teachers Legal Obligation for class teachers to adapt their lesson to

the needs of their students with disabilities (differentiation) – support by Special Education Teachers

Decrease to the number of students in a class which hosts children with special educational needs

Children to have access to the Interdisciplinary Regional Evaluation and Support Centers

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Secondary SchoolsSpecial teachers in Secondary schools

to support the work of class teachers (specialized teachers not pedagogues) for : adapting the curriculum and the teaching material to the

needs of their students, developing alternative more inclusive teaching strategies

(differentiation) to provide support on an individual basis to students with the

aim to enable them to develop and foster the appropriate skills that will allow them to develop self-confidence and independence, and to reach their potential.

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Family / School relations Parents need education as well Structures that would promote the relations

between the families of children with disabilities and their schools

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

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