Pursat pioneers integrated special ed

NEARLY 80 children in Pursta province who live with learning disabilities or mental illness are given the opportunity to study in integration classes thanks to the Disability Development Service Pursat (DDSP). The classes help them socialise and give their parents – many of whom are impoverished – a break from caring for them.

The NGO said 78 children, 27 of them female, are currently accessing its integrated learning opportunities programme.

DDSP executive director Pheng Samnang said the project began in 2005, with one class of 15 students in Prey Nhy Primary School.

By the beginning of this year, seven classes were running at Prey Nhy, Boeung Khnar, Keo Sovann and Talo Primary Schools.

“Many children with disabilities are left at home by their parents – and sometimes even tied up or kept in cellars – so their parents can go out and earn a living. These integration classes give the families a better option, and also improve the children’s chances of accessing general education programmes or connecting with society,” he said.

He explained that thanks to the support of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and the provincial education department, four schools added the programme in the past two years.

However, he said there is currently no state framework that supports the work, so teachers are nearly all volunteers and rely on NGOs for funding.

“Most of the children come from poor families. Like it or not, we have to take care of them. If their families are not able to afford the classes, we find resources to help them, so their children have an understanding of literature, arithmetic, personal hygiene, and life skills,” he added.

Kak Sreymom, a special education teacher at Keo Sovann Primary School who teaches 30 children, said it was great that the classes exist, as it gives her the chance to make these children feel welcome and gives them the skills they need to reconnect with their families and society.

“We use different approaches to teach them from those that we would employ with a standard primary school class. This means they are learning much more than they would in the general education programme, and a lot more than they would if they were confined to their homes,” she added.

“We utilise a lot of specialist materials to educate our kids. For example, some of my students are unfamiliar with many everyday household appliances. We have all of the materials we need to instruct them and challenge their abilities,” she continued.

“We have seen many positive changes in our students, they are polite, and greet people when they meet them. We have taught them an understanding of hygiene, and how to dress and feed themselves. They try to do things for themselves more, and even limited independence is important. Even if they are not as efficient as they could be, they are trying, and this takes some pressure off their parents. This means everybody is happier and more relaxed,” added the teacher, who is confined to a wheelchair.

Sreymom encouraged the parents of all children to make sure they attend school as much as possible, regardless of any learning disabilities they may have.

“In this way, they will learn to function in society and gain some measure of independence,” she said.