Activity 2.1 Education policy
Dear Colleagues,
Trinidad & Tobago’s Priorities for Education: In urgent response to the global challenge of enhancing the quality of educational provision through the upgrading of its education system, Trinidad & Tobago Government’s Inclusive Education policy statement speaks to being committed to a seamless education system of which inclusive education is a major component. Therein projects the attainment of its goals through the provision of support and services to all learners as appropriate steps are taken to make education available, accessible acceptable and adaptable.’ This applies to all learners, educational organizations offering early childhood, primary and secondary education, parents, guardians and other care-givers, school administrators, supervisors, teaching and non-teaching personnel and the divisions, units and departments within the Ministry of Education. Policies are also driven by the Ministry of Education’s philosophical direction that every child has an inherent right to education, that every child has the ability to learn and that schools should provide for all students, and programmes which are adapted to varying abilities with specific focus on those children who may be excluded from or marginalized within education systems because of apparent difficulties (Ministry of Education 2009).
Our Government’s efforts to ensure Inclusive Education: Definitions for the terms were provided. Empowering the Ministry to authorize the establishment of special schools, class, clinics or services, either as a separate unit or in connection with a public institution
Establishment of the Student Support Services Division which hosts the Special Education and Diagnostic Assessment Intervention Units and deploys multi-disciplinary teams of specialists at each of the 7 Educational District Offices.
Impact of the policies: Adaptations to and within the Learning Environment - Infrastructure Curriculum, Learning materials and ICTs, Teachers and Support Personnel and Monitoring and Reporting. (PEER Team, 2020)
Other Factors to Address: Teachers buying-in to these changes in support of Inclusive Education in mainstream classrooms.Dr. A Williams