MFOPD not consulted on plans for schools for children with disabilities

The Malta Federation of Ogranisaitons Persons with Disability (MFOPD) was not involved in any discussions or decision making in the planning of two new government schools for children with disabilities, to be opened in the next five years. The Malta Independent reported about the planned schools after Education Minister Evarist Bartolo had replied to a parliamentary question last week.

Bartolo had said that two out of six new government schools planned for the next five years – San Miguel School in Żejtun and Guardian Angel School in Ħamrun – will be schools for children with a disability. These are currently in the design stage.

In a statement to this newspaper, MFOPD president Marthese Mugliette said the federation had only found out about the decision through the aforementioned newspaper report.

The MFOPD is the national umbrella organisation for the disability sector and is the voice of Malta on various EU with regard to disability issues discussed at the EU level.

“The Federation was not involved in such discussions and decision. Did the Maltese government really and truly believe in the United Nation Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disability (UNCRPD) states when Malta signed and ratified this convention?”

MFOPD stated that it wanted to remind the government of the following statements from the UNCRPD:

Preamble - The State Parties to the present Convention, (o): “Considering that persons with disabilities should have the opportunity to be actively involved in decisionmaking processes about policies and programmes, including those directly concerning them”, and Article 4 – point no 3: “In the development and implementation of legislation and policies to implement the present Convention, and in other decision-making processes concerning issues relating to persons with disabilities, States Parties shall closely consult with and actively involve persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, through their representative organizations.”

“At this point we ask, was there a ‘reservation’ which we are not aware of?” concluded the statement by MFOPD.