Special education overhaul lacks one key ingredient

Special education overhaul lacks one key ingredient

3 December 2015

The Ministry of Education’s new action plan to improve special education is a positive development, but the one glaring omission from the plan has educators concerned.

The document identifies six areas for improvement and a “programme of work” to “significantly” redesign the system of education for students with additional learning needs.

However, nowhere does the document mention any additional funding for these children. Instead it talks about “best use of funds invested” and identifying “any opportunities for moving funds to areas of greater need and/or best use”.

NZEI Te Riu Roa President Louise Green said making the system more streamlined and responsive for children currently receiving extra help was an important and necessary step.

“The problem is that tens of thousands of children with genuine needs do not even qualify for assistance at present – simply because the funding isn’t available.

“I’m sure there are efficiencies to be made through better coordination and removing fragmentation of services, but that in itself is nowhere near enough to ensure the Minister’s stated goal of ‘mak[ing] sure the education system fully supports the progress and achievement of all children, including those who need additional support to learn.’”

Ms Green said there needed to be a clear commitment to significant extra funding, otherwise the ongoing work to identify how best to support all children’s learning would be a waste of time and energy.

ENDS

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