Thursday 03rd February 2022
A delegation from the Human Rights Unit of the Commonwealth Secretariat is on a working mission in Seychelles, to conduct an in-country assessment relating to the rights of disabled persons. The delegation, led by Dr Shavana Haythornthwaite, the Head of the Human Rights Unit, conducted a visit this morning at the School for the Exceptional Child and Plaisance Secondary.
At both schools, discussion centred on challenges that schools encounter to cater for special needs; their areas of strength and the day to day operations. Headteachers and team pointed out that some of the main challenges are for example: lack of specialized equipment, inadequate training for specialist teachers and so forth…
It was also expressed that there is a need for a change in curriculum in order to adapt for students with special needs.
The Commonwealth delegation informed that they will be developing various programmes to cater for students with special needs in the country. The ultimate goal is that the programmes can create a positive impact in regard to what the teachers could implement in schools.
The delegation had the opportunity to meet Ms Tany Samedi, a visually impaired student, who has been transferred from the School for the Exceptional Child to Plaisance Secondary School, in line with the ‘Inclusive Education Policy’, which was officially launched in 2015. She has been performing exceptionally well.