More investment needed for children with disabilities

More Government investment needed for children with disabilities

Government must invest more to give children with disabilities a fair go at school

The Inclusive Education Group (IEAG) is giving full support to the rally/picnic to be held at midday this Saturday at the rotunda in the Auckland domain.

The rally has been organised by Education for All - a collaboration of families, disabled people and educators - to demonstrate their opposition to the recent government announcements about special education.

IEAG spokesperson Antonia Hannah says that IEAG is firm in its view that the Update announcements fall far short of providing what disabled children and schools need to deliver and receive a quality inclusive education.

“The difficulties for children with disabilities and schools have been going on for far too long. IEAG was hopeful that the recent government update on special education would respond decisively to those difficulties which have been well communicated to the Ministry on numerous occasions. We feel let down that the concerns and suggestions expressed by families and educators have been ignored. As such we are left feeling that there is no real commitment by government to invest in inclusive education and stand up for the rights of disabled children in education,” says Antonia.

The Education for All Auckland rally follows hot on the heels of a rally held at Parliament in late September attended by hundreds of families, school personnel and children’s rights organisations.

There is a groundswell of concern that the Update announcements have not gone far enough and will result in disabled children missing out and schools not having what they need in the way of human and financial resources to do their best by them.

“We want the government to take notice of what families, disabled people and schools are saying and we want input into the changes so desperately needed,” says Antonia.

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