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SINGAPORE : More teachers will undergo training to help them better teach students with special needs.
Education Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam announced this at the Dyslexia Association's graduation ceremony on Saturday.
He said this is in line with the Ministry's aim for every school to have a group of teachers who are highly capable of handling students with special needs in regular classrooms.
The Education Ministry has set a target to train 10 percent of all primary school teachers in special needs.
The target is higher for secondary school teachers - at 20 percent.
Mr Tharman said: "The reason is because in secondary school, you're taught by more teachers than in primary school, so you need a larger group of teachers to be trained in special needs. Different subjects, different levels."
And the minister says the target should be achieved by 2012.
This is timely as the number of students with special needs is likely to rise.
Special needs students include those with dyslexia, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD.
And the Dyslexia Association of Singapore has conducted over 600 psychological assessments this year and student enrolment has hit the 1,000 mark for the first time.
From next year, some teachers from junior colleges will also receive customised training.
Students at the Dyslexia Association graduation ceremony welcomed the announcement.
Paul Alban Casimir, Tanglin Trust School, said: "If you just get any teacher, they're probably not very well trained in that special section, so they need to get better teachers to help the other students, which is really good."
Lee Li Er, Bedok South Secondary School, said: "It's a good idea because not many people know they have dyslexia and the teachers will know what it is and will not let people make fun of them."
By 2008, there will be 1,125 teachers in primary and secondary schools who would have completed special needs training.
Speaking to the media later, Mr Tharman, who was recently named Finance Minister, said he will announce a few more initiatives before he leaves the Education Ministry. - CNA/ch
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