Coordinators to better serve our students with special needs |27 June 2016

Just one year after the launch of the Inclusive Education policy, 29 Special Education Need coordinators (Sencos) from both primary and secondary state schools have successfully completed in-depth professional training in inclusive practices.

The group of Senco were awarded certificates on ‘Pedagogy of Inclusion’ during a short ceremony held last week at the Seychelles Institute for Teacher Education (Site).

The in-service training was aimed at ensuring that Sencos become agents of inclusion equipped with appropriate knowledge and skills to better serve our students with special education needs under their care.

The training organised by the special education needs unit was led by Marie-May Leon and the consultant of this project was Margaret Adam.

During the ceremony, Mrs Adam gave a brief over view of the course.

There were three modules which comprised the concepts and context in special and inclusive education, pupils with difficulties: translating inclusive policy into practice, and literacy and learning: identification and intervention.

The director general for schools Odile Octave said this is testimony of the Ministry of Education’s unlimited commitment to ensuring that no child is left behind, hence representing a significant milestone in the development of inclusive education in Seychelles.

“In order to intensify the implementation of inclusive education in the state schools, it is imperative that teachers’ competencies and skills in inclusive practices is strengthened given than they are the most important actors in education,” she said.

She urged the Sencos to take advantage of skills and knowledge gained from the training to empower their colleagues in schools and make a positive contribution to the education of our students with special education needs.

A Senco, Mirena Medor, said they had fruitful deliberations and she has learnt a lot especially on how to deal with pupils with specific needs and how to empower teachers in working with those pupils.

“I also developed skills in conducting case studies and how to identify pupils with special education needs through an individualised education programme,” she said.