Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 09/Nov 06:49

Education for children – but not for all

A main indicator of a country’s development must be society’s ability to protect its most vulnerable citizens – that is, children. A child with special needs, a child with a disability, a migrant child, are all the same – a child. In TT, child rights in education are governed by a combination of international treaties, national laws and policies aimed at ensuring all children have access to quality education and are protected from any form of discrimination. But do all children have access to quality education? The short answer is no. International conventions, local laws and even our Constitution provide for all children to have a simple right to education. TT’s Education Act outlines a compulsory education system which mandates that children between five and 16 must attend school. The reality faced by parents of children with special needs, learning disabilities and even migrant children has been ignored for years, despite public outcries. We boast of a country that provides “free education,” but we must consider: “free” to whom? Free to the child who falls on the autism spectrum? Is a parent breaching the law by not having their seven-year-old child who has autism enrolled in school? The legislation is in place that effects the promise made to advance child rights in TT. However, the past few years have made it clear there is ignorance about implementing what the legislation provides for. Parents face significant challenges in enrolling a child who requires some sort of specialised learning in a school – through the lack of a school, or lack of a school with trained, skilled teachers. Children with special needs TT has lacked full inclusion in its education system, especially in rural areas or for children with more severe disabilities, such as autism and Down syndrome. There are some specialised teachers for children with special needs in public schools, but the training for mainstream teachers in inclusive education remains insufficient, with teachers not fully understanding how to teach a child with special needs. There is no free public school for children with special needs. Many parents must seek private education for these children. In the sad alternative, many parents cannot afford to send their child to such a school and are subjected to even more hardship, as they have to quit their jobs to teach their child themselves. Each child has a unique diagnosis, sometimes entailing specialised individual educational needs. There cannot be a “one size fits all” approach. Migrant children If the Constitution applies to everyone within the jurisdiction, then it must flow that each child in our jurisdiction has a right to education. However, this is not the case: migrant children must apply for a student permit to be given access to school in TT. The student permit is granted by the Immigration Division, after an online application. However, challenges have arisen over the granting of such a permit where the child’s parent may not be in proper legal standing in the jurisdiction. This goes against the very purpose of the international conventions permitting education for every child, regardless of their status or that of their parents. A migrant child should not bear the unfortunate punishment of being denied access to school because of their parents’ status in the country. Migrant children should have a fair opportunity to be educated. Children in care Children who are removed from their families owing to child-protection concerns are also affected. Whilst the state tries its best to effect the transfer of these children (in circumstances in which a child can no longer attend their former school for logistical reasons), these children are subjected to long waiting times, thereby stalling their education. There is also a challenge in enrolling children in school when some may not have been exposed to formal schooling. While one of these children might be 15, for example, they do not have the skillset required to deal with a school suitable for a 15-year-old. The failure to make sufficient plans for these children effectively inhibits their access to schooling, exposes them to neglect and constitutes a flagrant breach of their basic human rights. If we do not educate all of our nation’s children, then when they enter adulthood, the burden falls on society and government to support them. Achieving fair, inclusive education requires implementation and transformation, education reform and prioritised attention to the issue. While we prioritise education for children, let’s not forget the percentage who fall outside the norm. Denelle Singh is an attorney at law. This column is strictly for information purposes and does not constitute legal advice. The post Education for children – but not for all appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.