Special Education Review Ignores Voices of Manukau
new-zealand-labour-party
Fri Apr 30 2010 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Special Education Review Ignores Voices of Manukau
Friday, 30 April 2010, 9:23 am
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
Special Education Review Ignores Voice of Unheard Families in Manukau
Associate Minister of Education Heather Roy has ignored a plea to include the voice of Pacific consumers in the special education review.
Labour’s Mangere MP Su’a William Sio contacted Heather Roy to meet with Sir Keith Park School in Mangere as part of the Government’s review of special education.
“Sir Keith Park School is a special education and resource centre in my electorate that offers a complete range of services for special needs students," says Su’a William Sio.
“Many of the families accessing the school have English as a second language and there are communication barriers to accessing the review online and completing a submission.
“That is a real shame that the Minister has ignored my request for education officials to seek out the views of a significant population affected by special education, who cannot access the document online or understand the language terminology," said Su'a William Sio.
“The Review process works for those articulate, able and familiar with writing submissions, and dealing with government in this way. But how many of our Maori and Pacific people deal with this government in this way?
“And add to that the stresses of a family dealing with a special needs situation which is why I stressed in my letter to Minister Heather Roy that without the targeted engagement of families and children involved in special education in the Mangere electorate in Manukau City, this Review will miss out on their experiences.
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“To quote from the government Review document: “The aim of the review is to ensure that policies and processes are fair, consistent, reach those most in need, make the best use of government funding, and that parents have choices.’”
“By ignoring my request that the Review include the views of parents and families attending Sir Keith Park School in Mangere, Minister Heather Roy has just confirmed that this Government doesn’t take the aims of its own reviews seriously.
ENDS
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