SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOLS

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SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOLS:

(Inclusion in MOE's IT Masterplans): The following Question stood in the name of Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng –

9. To ask the Minister for Education whether staff and students from special schools are being considered and included in the formulation of the Ministry's annual work plans and initiatives such as the Ministry's IT Masterplans.

Dr Lam Pin Min: Question No. 9, Sir.

The Senior Minister of State for Education (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien) (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, in developing plans and rolling out new educational initiatives, MOE does take into consideration the needs of staff and students from special education (SPED) schools. However, in any one year, new initiatives or programmes announced may pertain to specific sectors, eg, primary schools, or particular segments of students, eg, students offering the Normal Course in secondary schools.

In the area of IT, SPED schools that offer the mainstream curriculum are currently provided with additional funding to purchase resources such as computers, software, assistive devices and specialised equipment to support their students' learning. The other SPED schools also receive computers which are upgraded on a regular basis. For the Third IT Masterplan which was announced in August this year, appropriate provisions will likewise be made for SPED schools, taking into account how teachers and students would benefit from the enhanced use of ICT in special education settings.

Another key area is training and professional development for SPED teachers. To this end, NIE will be launching a new Specialist Diploma in Special Education and Specialist Post-

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Graduate Diploma in Special Education for SPED teachers teaching the mainstream curriculum starting from 2009.

Teachers and school leaders from SPED schools who offer mainstream curriculum are also included in MOE's curriculum workshops on syllabus revisions, and provided with the curricular materials where relevant. For example, we have included five SPED schools in the pilot programme for the new primary school English curriculum to be rolled out in 2010, and trained their teachers alongside mainstream school teachers. MOE has also worked with Chaoyang School, to pilot a modified version of the same pedagogical framework and principles, targeting the learning needs of its students.

In line with the 'Many Helping Hands' approach, MOE will continue working with the VWOs and National Council for Social Service (NCSS) to further enhance the quality of special education in Singapore.

Dr Lam Pin Min: I have two supplementary questions for the Senior Minister of State. Will MOE consider including in its annual workplan a specific segment on students with special needs who are in mainstream schools? MOE runs schools like Northlight and Assumption Pathway, and there are 21 special schools run by charities. The reason is because this will ensure that these students are not forgotten in the MOE's key thrust and good work. The second question is: can MOE, as administrator of education in the charity sector, work with MCYS and its agency (NCSS) to develop one single integrated quality assurance, performance, evaluation and reporting system so that special schools, like mainstream schools, report to only one system and not to several systems from several agencies?

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: I thank the Member for the questions. On the purpose

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of the annual workplan seminar, I would just like to explain that, like all of us who attend annual workplan seminars, we know that the objective of such seminars is really for us to focus on the key changes of policy directions of the Ministry. It is not intended to be covering every segment and every level of the school system. It would not be practical to do so. And therefore, the annual workplan will continue to be an event where we would only focus on key areas. But I would like to assure the Member that SPED schools are always part of the consideration of MOE at all times.

As to MOE working with MCYS and NCSS, I would like to assure the Member that I personally do meet up with NCSS and we are working towards coming up with a consistent policy and performance framework for the SPED schools.