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Special Education And Rehabilitation Centre Officially Opened In Soufriere

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Contact: Julita Peter

 

Tuesday, September 18, 2001 - - Physically challenged children from the Soufriere community will no longer be deprived of professional therapeutic services, as the first Special Education and Rehabilitation Centre has been officially opened. The centre, which is housed in the Old Boys Primary School, caters for children with moderate to profound disabilities, by providing them with therapeutic, educational and social services.

Parents of physically challenged children have expressed overwhelming joy, as this is the first time their children will get the opportunity to be part of a formal school setting.  The Education Act of 1999 obligates the Government of St. Lucia to provide education for every citizen of the country regardless of his level of ability, or disability, race, culture or creed.

Permanent Secretary in the Department of Education and Human Resource Development, Dr. Didacus Jules explains that the establishment of the Soufriere centre is the beginning of the extension of those rights. “The staff at the centre has been carefully selected.  However if the centre is to help the physically challenged in Soufriere realize their full potential then certain measures are necessary. The ministry intends to provide further and ongoing training in special education for the staff of the centre, ” Jules added. 

Meanwhile Parliamentary Representative for Soufriere Honourable Dr. Walter François in welcoming the initiative implored the community at large to exercise tolerance and benevolence to persons with special disabilities. In pledging continued government support,  Dr. François added,   “The Government of St. Lucia has been extremely helpful, but more importantly the government will have to meet the recurrent expenditure for this facility, so they will have to provide for the teachers, school materials and the school feeding programme,” the MP said. 

Financial assistance for the purchasing of equipment valued at EC$21,000, was provided by the government of Germany, whilst the cost for renovation works was funded by the French government.  The initiative was realized through the relentless efforts of the Soufriere community, the Ministry of Education and donor agencies.

 

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