DAPD welcomes provisions for training teachers in ‘special education’ in the 2017/18 national budget

​The Dominica Association of Persons with Disabilities (DAPD) has welcomed the news that provisions are being made in the 2017/2018 national budget, for training teachers in "special education."
 
In a press release issued on Thursday, the DAPD said it is almost certain that the government of Dominica's decision was guided by Article 24, of the United Nations UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which addresses this fundamental human right.
 
This article reads in part "state parties recognize the rights of persons with disabilities to education.  In realizing this right, state parties shall ensure that persons with disabilities are not excluded from the general education system on the basis of disability, and that children with disabilities are not excluded from free and compulsory primary and secondary education on the basis of disability."
 
The release further stated that training these teachers in special education will guarantee an inclusive education system at all levels, and ultimately ensures that persons with disabilities become qualified in various fields, thus enabling them to contribute towards the island's socio economic development.