Dubai: As part of the vision set by the Takamul programme to create a barrier-free society, the Ministry of Education has taken the first step to merge special needs pupils into society.
According to Head of the section for Talented Students and those with Special Needs, Hamed Al Suwaidi, people with special needs are "hardly integrated into the mainstream community."
He added that their objective is to educate "average pupils about children with special needs."
There is a relationship gap among these groups of pupils, he said adding, "it time for the average pupil to understand other pupils' disabilities and learn to communicate with them. And, pupils with special needs should become part of their community."
The first step for the new academic year is to register five Down's Syndrome children into Al Rabe'ei Nursery, said Al Suwaidi.
"For now, it will be an experiment to observe how well the special pupils are able to integrate with the children," he added.
The ministry has appointed a specialist to supervise the process of integration "by making sure the kids get along with their classmates and become part of a new environment," Al Suwaidi said.
"If we are successful in this primary stage, then we are considering allowing people with special needs to gradually join any academic school," he added.
The Takamul programme is supporting the department's vision to elevate the standards of the educational system, and part of the process is to create "a barrier-free society," he said.
