All Dubai International Schools And Colleges To Include Special Needs Children by 2020
This is once again a time where we want to live in UAE. Inclusion of minorities on media and telivision looks easy and courageous. An educational social media campaign about Down Syndrome, a viral post about inviting an autistic classmate to a birthday or a model on a wheelchair on a cover magazine can all leave you hopeful and positive; yet the real world is far from perfect.
Inclusion is hard. Believing that a person with special abilities will add to your workplace is hard. Explaining to fellow parents the possibility of playdates is tricky. Convincing a school to accept your child in some countries is near impossible.
Today we thank God for Dubai’s new ruling that forces all international schools to cater to special needs children by 2020. Dubai Inclusive Education Policy Framework launched to ensure equal education and opportunities for all.
The framework states that no child will be denied education at a school for being labeled as special needs student, the school will enroll the child at early stages, in addition to establishing an after-school support system. This is a dream for special needs parents.
Officials from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority believe this is a step towards diversity. The move is also part of a larger initiative “My community..a city for everyone”, which aims at turning Dubai into a disability-friendly city by next year.
Not only is the ruling beneficial for children, but parents also suffer to
“This will have a major impact on education,” Michelle Choytooa, who takes care of special needs children at Victory Heights Primary School, told National UAE. “I am hoping that the costs [of care] will go down if this is implemented, though it will take time. It’s not realistic to say all the costs will disappear.”
