Shortage Of Qualified Special-Ed Teachers
“Teachers who are here are from Early Childhood Education (ECE) and also from primary. When they come here we usually train them in school to uplift their knowledge on people with disabilities.”
Wednesday 23 March 2022 | 13:45
Minister for Education Premila Kumar at the Suva Special School on March 21, 2022. Photos: DEPTFO News
There is a shortage of qualified special and inclusive education teachers.
Premila Kumar, the Minister for Education, spoke about this on Monday at the Suva Special School, saying that they were encouraging teachers to pursue special and inclusive education.
“We are encouraging teachers to take up special and inclusive education by providing scholarships as well as making Tertiary Education Loans Scheme (TELS) available,” she said.
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Suva Special School head teacher Narend Prasad said teachers had to be trained in school as they did not have qualification to teach students with special needs.
“The main one is that teachers need to be special qualified, we don’t have many qualified teachers,” Mr Prasad said.
“Teachers who are here are from Early Childhood Education (ECE) and also from primary. When they come here we usually train them in school to uplift their knowledge on people with disabilities.”
Only four of the 16 teachers at the Suva Special School, according to Mr Prasad, are qualified in special and inclusive education.
He stated that some of his school’s teachers were currently pursuing special education certification.
Feedback: sheenal.kumar@fijisun.com.fj
