A total of sixty-seven Special Education Needs (SEN) schools are benefitting from a one-off grant for the renovation of their infrastructures and for the purchase of equipment. A ceremony for the remittance of the one-off grant was thus held, today, in the presence of the Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, at the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development, in Phoenix.
The Chairperson of the Special Education Needs Authority (SENA), Mrs S. Oogarah, and the Director of SENA, Mr D. Authelsingh, were also present.
Thirty-three SEN schools received a grant of Rs 100,000 for repairs and renovation of their buildings and thirty-four benefited from a grant of Rs 50,000 for the purchase of equipment, pedagogical tools and materials.
In her address on that occasion, the Vice-Prime Minister underlined that this initiative highlights Government’s concern for children with special education needs. Government, she said, is extending all necessary support and assistance to these schools and is making efforts to continue improve the SEN sector.
She dwelt on other budgetary measures introduced for the sector namely, provision of hot meals and transport facilities to benefit all students irrespective of age and an increase in the allowance paid to specialists providing paramedical services to children in SEN schools. All these measures, she stated, are being implemented for the well-being of these children and to upgrade the school environment.
Vice-Prime Minister Dookun-Luchoomun indicated that the Ministry through the SENA will continue to assist SEN schools and ensure that quality pedagogical tools are put at the disposal of these children.
In addition, she underscored that the SENA and the Ministry of Labour, Human Resource Development and Training are working together to improve the working conditions of the staff in the SEN sector. To this end, she stressed the importance of continuous training to provide better support and assistance to these children. The SENA, she further added, has been very active and determined in responding to the needs of stakeholders and that of the children with special needs.
