PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport would hereby like to inform the general public about the ongoing drafting of the Special Needs, Inclusive Education Policy.
In 2021, the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) solicited the support of an individual consultant to support the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (MECYS) with identifying and assessing the infrastructure and programs offered in several schools in order to make recommendations that meet the needs of students with identified special educational needs. The collaboration was a part of the Fostering Resilient Learning Project, which aims to support MECYS in verifying and upgrading the delivery of special needs education in an inclusive education policy framework. The collaboration produced the Design Criteria for Special Needs and Inclusive Schools, a Needs Assessment of Special Needs / Inclusive Education in Sint Maarten’s Primary Schools, and the Final Report of Inclusive Special Needs Education. The outcome of the Needs Assessment made clear that while much information has been gathered regarding the provision of special needs and inclusive education services within Primary Education, not much is known about the existing needs of children with special educational needs, nor about the provision of special needs and inclusive education services in Secondary Education. Additionally, data collection on the level of Primary Education was limited due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Consequently, the Department of Education (AO) in collaboration with the Student Support Services Division (SSSD) made the decision to execute a Situational Analysis, which aims to identify the existing needs of children with special educational needs; provide an overview of the provision of special needs and inclusive education services on the level of Primary and Secondary Education and recommend actions for future service provision; and confirm the data presented in the Needs Assessment Special Needs / Inclusive Education. The Situational Analysis is expected to be completed in July 2022.
Finally, the intention is to use the outcome of the Situational Analysis to finalize the draft Special Needs / Inclusive Education Policy, which is in its final stages, and the related Implementation Plan by the end of the year.
As the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport works to improve the provision of Special Needs and Inclusive Education, the support and cooperation of the community of Sint Maarten is sincerely appreciated and recognized.
