The Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Leela Devi DookunLuchoomun, proceeded, on 02 March 2024 at the Côte D’Or National Sports Complex, with the launching of professional courses for staff of the Special Education Needs (SEN) sector.
The Director of the Special Needs Authority (SENA), Mr Arvin Authelsingh; the Chief Executive Officer of Polytechnics Mauritius Ltd, Mr Yamal Matabudul; the Director General of the University of Technology of Mauritius (UTM), Dr Dinesh Hurreeram; the Director of the Mauritius Institute of Education, Dr Hemant Bissoondoyal; and other eminent personalities were present for the occasion.
In her keynote address, VPM Dookun Luchoomun stated that the celebration commemorates the remarkable success of young individuals from SENA who, despite disabilities, have excelled in mainstream education, achieving high results in examinations such as Higher School Certificate, School Certificate, National Certificate of Education, and Primary School Achievement Certificate. She attributed this success to the unwavering support provided by caregivers and assistant teachers who have accompanied these students throughout their educational journey and ensured that they receive necessary assistance at the school level.
Recognising the importance of their roles, the Minister underscored the efforts underway through the Commonwealth of Learning to offer scholarships for the further training of these caregivers and assistant teachers.
The Education Minister further highlighted that SENA, in collaboration with UTM and Polytechnics Mauritius Ltd, is taking proactive steps by initiating comprehensive training programmes for caregivers and assistant teachers. She explained that this collaborative effort aims to prepare them to effectively guide and mentor disabled children. ‘By extending the focus beyond students to include sensitising parents about their children’s capacities, we also aim in fostering encouragement and belief in their capabilities’, she said. Mrs Dookun-Luchoomun further dwelt on the Ministry’s vision of ensuring equal educational opportunities for all children, emphasising the need for comprehensive training to support the education of differently-abled students.
Additionally, she underlined Government’s commitment through initiatives such as providing Braille computers and offering scholarships to promote inclusivity and create a more supportive educational environment. The evident pride and joy in the faces of these children stand as a testament to the collective efforts of SENA, caregivers, assistant teachers, and the broader community in fostering inclusivity in education, she added.
For his part, Mr Authelsingh indicated that over 400 teachers and assistant teachers are currently undergoing training to professionalise the SEN sector. He explained that Polytechnics Mauritius Ltd is focusing on training caregivers while the UTM will be training teacher assistants and teachers, and MIE will be training managers and heads of schools.
Acknowledging the role of assistant teachers and caregivers in breaking barriers to understand the unique needs of children with disabilities, he indicated that 400 caregivers are enrolled in a Caregiving Certificate Programme at Polytechnics Mauritius Ltd.
Moreover, Mr Authelsingh pointed out that teachers and teacher assistants have already completed a six-module training under the Commonwealth of Learning adding that they will further specialise at UTM in inclusive and special education needs. He shared the goal of SENA to train 1,000 personnel in the next two years to enhance support for approximately 3,000 identified children, a number expected to increase through ongoing special screening efforts.
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