Kids with disabilities – Inclusive faculties stay a mirage, say mother and father
Inclusive schools remain a mirage, say parents
The Insieme Association condemns the concentration of resources on specialized education in Geneva.
Augusto Cosati, president of Insieme, says, “The law on public instruction currently only has a general phrase that cites inclusion but does not define a rule.”
PATRICK MARTIN
The right to inclusive education, i.e. to go to an ordinary school, is not respected. This is the observation of Insieme Genève, an association of parents and friends of people living with intellectual disabilities. During a press conference on Monday, his commission condemned the exclusion of children with mental disabilities because they are grouped in separate classes or institutions, sometimes far from home. It therefore advocates redirecting resources from special education to inclusive models in mainstream schools, with appropriate support.
The UN is concerned
For this he relies on a report of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, published this spring, concerning Switzerland. Regarding education, its authors make three worrying conclusions. First, “segregated education affects a large number of children and the intercantonal cooperation agreement in the field of special education is implemented in such a way as to direct children with disabilities to special education.”
Second, “mainstream schools lack the means to promote inclusive education, including sign language interpretation services, reasonable accommodations, and appropriately qualified teachers.” Third, “students with disabilities, especially students with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities, have difficulties accessing vocational training and higher education.”
Rethink training
This is why Insieme Geneva calls, among other things, for the gradual closure of specialized institutions, the inclusion of the right to inclusive education in Geneva legislation and training in inclusive pedagogy for all teachers.
“We have to rethink the training, there has to be a disability component in the course, we understand very well that the teacher does not feel ready to manage trisomy 21 with the current training, explains the president Augusto Cosati. Similarly, public education law currently has only a boat sentence that cites inclusion but does not set a rule.
It would be necessary to “get things moving now for the little ones”, supports for her part the general secretary Céline Laidevant, thus opening doors when they reach the age of the cycle. Hence Magistrate Ann Emery-Torasinta, who nevertheless made the inclusive school her hobby horse? “It is true that there is disappointment because there were many expectations, Augusto Cosati answers. There are still the same more integrated classes and a number of pilot projects, but in the long run it blocks.
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