The Office of the Secretary of State for Integration of Persons with Disabilities (BSEIPH) in partnership with the National Institute of Training and Research for the Education of Young Disabled and Adapted Teaching (INSHEA) is working to develop a training module on the teaching of children with special educational needs.

Several actors in the integration of disabled people working with the INSHEA and the BSEIPH on this issue, including the Commission on Special Education and Social Support (CASAS) and the Haitian Society of Assistance to the Blind led by former Secretary of State Dr. Michael A. Péan.

This module should be integrated into the initial training of Haitian teachers. "This part of their training should empower teachers to better educate children with special needs," explained Bernadette Céleste, Director of INSHEA during her visit to Haiti.

This is an important step towards a integrated schooling of children with special needs. In Haiti, less than 5% of disabled children, that have the age to go to school, attending an educational institution. The absence of adequate structures but also, of specialized training for teachers, participate in this state of things. In Haiti, there are only 23 schools, including 3 public that welcome children with disabilities and all are located in Port-au-Prince. The number of teachers trained in special education is 298 on 46.919 evolving in the first two cycles of the fundamental !

However, if the training of teachers is an important step, once again, the awareness of society is not to be neglected as explained by the Director of INSHEA "It is necessary that the Haitian society is ready to welcome disabled children in regular schools."

In this perspective, a colloquium will be organized in December by the INSHEA and the BSEIPH, inviting several organizations and professionals of the civil society to reflect on the education of children with special educational needs.

HL/ HaitiLibre