Story and photos by Indrawattie Natram

REGION Two Chairperson, Vilma De Silva, has announced that a special education needs school is under construction at Cotton Field, Region Two, and should be ready for learners when the new school year commences in September.

This information was shared during her address at a recent award ceremony held for the region’s top National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) performers.

At the graduation, Jaden Haripershad, a child living with disabilities from Jacklow Primary, excelled at the annual national examination. He was the top performer for his school. Haripershad who struggles with cerebral palsy, club feet, and esotropia, which has caused one eye to deviate inward towards the nose, secured 472.23 marks which earned him a place at the Anna Regina Secondary School.

De Silva expressed admiration for Haripershad’s outstanding performance and emphasised that the region is committed to supporting children living with disabilities and special needs.

The new school will aim to provide dedicated time and resources for these children.

De Silva highlighted that Haripershad is an example of how learners with special needs can achieve remarkable success.

She mentioned that the government is investing millions of dollars to enhance the lives of all children across the country.

The contract for the special education needs school at Cotton Field was signed in March 2024 at a cost of $94,787,27.

The project is being funded by the Government of Guyana through the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) and is being executed by local contractor, Builder’s Engineering & Architectural Consultancy.

The BNTF, a grant-funded programme by the Caribbean Development Bank, aims to reduce poverty by addressing the causes of inequitable access to quality education, especially for children with special needs.

A recent release from BNTF indicated that Cotton Field urgently requires educational facilities tailored to the unique needs of children with disabilities.

PROVIDING SPECIAL ATTENTION

While the new school is under construction, a Special Education Needs (SEN) learning centre has been established at Cotton Field.

It is currently housed in the old Cotton Field Nursery School opposite the Department of Education and has eight educators: Acting graduate Headmistress is Shabana Prashad, with graduate teachers Sir Nanresh Persaud, Marlyn Durga, Umadevi Boodhnaraine, Anita Bakraj and Jaiwanttie Rampersaud and two trainee teachers Lauretta Smith and Jaiwantie Narayan.

The three teachers, who are holders of Bachelor of Science degrees that focus on special and inclusive education, were seconded from various secondary schools.

Regional Education Officer, Shondelle Hercules, told this publication that the centre promotes inclusivity and diversity to provide meaningful education for its learners.

The learning centre caters to the needs of 10 of the 13 categories of special needs learners in the region.

As continuous training and accommodation become necessary, the remaining categories will be addressed.

The SEN learning centre opened its doors on March 4, 2024. The learners were engaged from 08:30 hrs to noon this term.

The centre currently has 14 learners aged 4-12 years and the teachers are currently working on categorising them.

This publication was told that the teachers will be able to meet the needs of those suffering from autism, intellectual disabilities and speech impairment.

Activities at the centre include art and painting sessions, music, yoga, mathematics, science, social studies, language, reading, and storytelling.

A bus service is in place to transport learners from their homes to the centre.

Meanwhile, Nanresh Persaud, who recently graduated from the University of the Southern Caribbean with a Bachelor of Science in Special and Inclusive Education, expressed his pleasure in serving the region.

Since January, teachers have been registering learners at the school and parents have been giving their support and cooperation.

The teachers are anxious for the opening of the school, stating that it will address the needs of children living with various disabilities and will also bring some comfort to families.