p>The Ministry of Education reports, regarding yesterday's new announcement by the Cyprus Confederation of Disabled Organizations (CYSOA), that it observes with regret that once again the organization “flagrantly ignores the legislation and provisions established by the State with the aim of ensuring the inclusion of all children in schools”.
He notes that the State has specific legislation that defines permanent procedures for the inclusion in schools of children with disabilities and all other children, who are included in special education.
As he mentions, this legislation and its provisions implemented by the Ministry of Education, with the result that in recent years many more children with disabilities have been included in education.
In particular, the Ministry of Education notes, the claim that the opinions of certain statutory committees, which in some cases recommend the attendance of children in special units operating in schools, amount to “pressure to consent [parents] to take out the children from the mainstream class', is both inaccurate and unacceptable.
"It is truly regrettable that on the basis of stubborn opinions and ideological prejudices that oppose the legislation, KYSOA not only despises the expert committees provided for by the law and take care of’ these issues, but discredits unsubstantiated and completely unjustified and insults even dozens of professionals and experts who participate in them», he adds.
He also mentions that the insistence of these few persons to reject the special units, in which hundreds of special educators work, so that the school can properly frame and care for the children who need it, simply because they have a different personal idea, cannot be taken as a criterion for properly dealing with disability.
"Also problematic is the claim they make, according to which the effort currently underway by the Ministry to make early diagnoses, at an early age, so that there is knowledge of objective needs and timely care can be taken which may need or even provide effective support to children, is equivalent to "sacking the children". However, it is completely contrary to international practices and to the State's responsibility for care and care for all children, he notes.
The Ministry mentions, at the same time, that the equally incomprehensible and completely unfair hostile attitude displayed by&rsquo ; repetition by KYSOA for the special schools operating in Cyprus, can find an answer in the opinion of the parents of the children in these schools themselves, without the need for another comment from the Ministry.
«We would expect, as a Ministry, from an organization that is dedicated to defending and taking care of disabled organizations to show a spirit of cooperation and try to take advantage of the opportunities and means available to the State for’ this purpose. The Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth will, however, continue to take care and ensure the inclusion of all children in education, according to the Laws and Regulations of the State», he concludes.
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