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I saw this, and it always amazed me when it is posted on here about the wonderful Jamaican education system... My father told me stories, my friends children told stories.. I watched and read these bullies being honoured... I
Ignorant Teachers - Children's Advocate Reports That Students With Learning Disabilities Are Being Punished By Teachers
Published: Sunday | February 21, 20100 Comments and 0 Reactions
Tyrone Reid, Sunday Gleaner Reporter
The Office of the Children's Advocate (OCA) has accused some teachers of punishing children with learning disabilities for failing to grasp instructions as quickly as others.
In its 2008-2009 annual report, the OCA also intimated that some of the students might be the victim of floggings at the hands of teachers.
"The OCA has received reports of children being victims of corporal punishment in schools by teachers as a result of their inability to grasp what is being taught as quickly as others."
The report noted that the tragic happenings were brought to the fore at the OCA National Children's Consultation held in 2008.
In addition, the report highlighted that students were being margi-nalised as a result of their learning challenges.
"Where a learning disability exists, many times, children are stigmatised as being stupid and sometimes punished by teachers for not following or not understanding instructions," the report said.
Efforts to get a comment from Michael Stewart, president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association, were unsuccessful.
Antonica Gunter-Gayle, programmes director of the Early Stimulation Programme - a special scheme that caters to the needs of children with various types of developmental disabilities, including Down's syndrome, autism and cerebral palsy - told our news team that many children with learning disabilities were not being detected and were suffering unduly as a result.
"We do miss a lot of them. Some of them get lost in the system, (and) some of them are labelled as dunce and rude," Gunter-Gayle said.
Short-staffed
In highlighting the plight of children with special-education needs, the OCA argued that irrespective of the strides made in education, children with disabilities are still short-staffed by the school system.
The report continued: "Where children with the major disabilities like sight impairment can be easily detected, others with learning abilities, such as dyslexia, are not easily detected."
The OCA report explains that the symptoms of learning disabilities include delayed language skills, trouble rhyming, habitual mispronunciation, persistent baby talk, difficulty in learning letters in simple words, confusion involving words that sound alike, and difficulty following instructions.
The OCA urged that children be observed for symptoms of learning disabilities, the relevant tests carried out, and treatment given to help them to deal with their disability.
"The Early Intervention, Screening and Diagnostic Programme for Children and Households being developed by the Early Childhood Commission is welcome and should be given urgent attention."
The report also said that the screening process must be accompanied by mechanisms to offer adequate services once the children with special needs were identified.
Ignorant Teachers - Children's Advocate Reports That Students With Learning Disabilities Are Being Punished By Teachers
Published: Sunday | February 21, 20100 Comments and 0 Reactions
Tyrone Reid, Sunday Gleaner Reporter
The Office of the Children's Advocate (OCA) has accused some teachers of punishing children with learning disabilities for failing to grasp instructions as quickly as others.
In its 2008-2009 annual report, the OCA also intimated that some of the students might be the victim of floggings at the hands of teachers.
"The OCA has received reports of children being victims of corporal punishment in schools by teachers as a result of their inability to grasp what is being taught as quickly as others."
The report noted that the tragic happenings were brought to the fore at the OCA National Children's Consultation held in 2008.
In addition, the report highlighted that students were being margi-nalised as a result of their learning challenges.
"Where a learning disability exists, many times, children are stigmatised as being stupid and sometimes punished by teachers for not following or not understanding instructions," the report said.
Efforts to get a comment from Michael Stewart, president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association, were unsuccessful.
Antonica Gunter-Gayle, programmes director of the Early Stimulation Programme - a special scheme that caters to the needs of children with various types of developmental disabilities, including Down's syndrome, autism and cerebral palsy - told our news team that many children with learning disabilities were not being detected and were suffering unduly as a result.
"We do miss a lot of them. Some of them get lost in the system, (and) some of them are labelled as dunce and rude," Gunter-Gayle said.
Short-staffed
In highlighting the plight of children with special-education needs, the OCA argued that irrespective of the strides made in education, children with disabilities are still short-staffed by the school system.
The report continued: "Where children with the major disabilities like sight impairment can be easily detected, others with learning abilities, such as dyslexia, are not easily detected."
The OCA report explains that the symptoms of learning disabilities include delayed language skills, trouble rhyming, habitual mispronunciation, persistent baby talk, difficulty in learning letters in simple words, confusion involving words that sound alike, and difficulty following instructions.
The OCA urged that children be observed for symptoms of learning disabilities, the relevant tests carried out, and treatment given to help them to deal with their disability.
"The Early Intervention, Screening and Diagnostic Programme for Children and Households being developed by the Early Childhood Commission is welcome and should be given urgent attention."
The report also said that the screening process must be accompanied by mechanisms to offer adequate services once the children with special needs were identified.
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