The Ministry of Education’s decision to reopen the Alma Parris Memorial Secondary School for special needs students in January 2025 has been met with approval from key stakeholders, including both teachers’ unions, a special needs advocate and a veteran educator. But there are also calls for another one or two similar schools to be opened.
The St Peter educational institution will provide a specialised learning environment for children with autism and other learning challenges, a move the Ministry of Education said is a response to “an increased number of persons presenting with autism and other challenges”.
The Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) on Thursday joined the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) in supporting the initiative. BSTU president Mary Redman expressed her delight, noting that the union had long been advocating for the return of such a facility.
“We are very happy” Redman told Barbados TODAY. “We had called for that on more than one occasion, and we had said that there actually needs to be two of that type of school. There is one in the north, there should be one somewhere in the centre or towards the south of the country to deal with the needs that we know exist in the society in relation to certain learning deficits.”
Veteran educator and former principal Jeff Broomes echoed this sentiment while criticising the initial closure of the school in 2017 by the Democratic Labour Party administration, which had sparked public disapproval.
Broomes, a staunch advocate for the school’s mission, was adamant that the institution’s downfall began when it became part of the general school allocation process.
He said: “I do not believe it should ever have been destroyed and then closed. When Alma Parris School was first opened, it was to help children who have special needs. Then all of a sudden it became part of the allocation process like all other schools. That is what destroyed the school. Then when it was closed, I felt it was an abomination.”
Broomes, like Redman, also called for the creation of additional special needs schools across the nation. He suggested that at least one more such institution is necessary, particularly in the south.
“There is not only a need for an Alma Parris in this country; I suggest there is need for one in the north and one in the south of the island because there are struggling children,” Broomes contended. “The same way we look out to help the high achievers with scholarships, we should highlight [those in need].”
Frederick Johnson, president of the Autism Association of Barbados, described the planned reopening as “excellent news” for the autistic and special needs community. He emphasised the critical importance of providing early and consistent interventions for children on the autism spectrum.
“These children need special needs education throughout the course of their lives, so the earlier they get it, the earlier the interventions take place, the better for them. It gives them the best chance possible to develop the skills that they do have. The children need special needs education and there is no substitute for it,” Johnson told Barbados TODAY.
He also highlighted the positive impact the reopening will have on the parents of special needs children, many of whom struggle to provide adequate care due to the lack of suitable educational institutions.
“It’s a plus for their parents, because basically their parents are left in a situation in most cases where they just don’t know what to do with their child. Not many people realise this, but to have a child on the spectrum, through no fault of your own, is basically a passport to poverty,” he said.
Johnson noted that the challenges faced by parents often result in them being unable to work, leading to financial hardship and dependence on state assistance. He added that inadequate educational opportunities for children with special needs often lead to limited job prospects later in life, exacerbating social and economic exclusion for the disabled community.
“The fact is, disabled people want to work, they want to form part of the community, they want to pay taxes and contribute to the economy, but they can’t contribute because employers won’t walk forward and say ‘I will give work opportunities to such a group’,” he said.
In addition to the reopening of Alma Parris School, the Autism Association president said work is set to begin on the group’s new headquarters in the Garrison, which will serve as a training centre in basic life skills for special needs children. The facility is expected to open in early 2025, said Johnson.
Minister of Education Kay McConney acknowledged at a news conference on Wednesday that the ministry had struggled to meet the rising demand for special needs education due to a lack of resources.
She gave an assurance that a comprehensive plan is being developed to address these challenges as the reopening of Alma Parris School approaches.
emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb
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