Botany schools have their say about Special Education needs

Local Botany MP Hon Pansy Wong and Associate Education Minister Hon Heather Roy today met with local Primary and Secondary school principals as part of the Government’s review of Special Education in New Zealand.

The open and frank consultation was part of a nationwide review of our country’s special education services to ensure all New Zealand students gain the education, resources and skills they need to reach their full potential.

Mrs Wong - who is also the Associate Minister for Disability Issues - says the meetings held at Willowbank Primary School and Sancta Maria College were an important step in voicing the local schools’ concerns, issues and ideas about how to best ensure children requiring special education are given the schooling they deserve.

"When I visit our schools, Special Education is often discussed and as the local MP I was glad that our education providers had an opportunity to raise the issue directly with Minister Roy," Mrs Wong says.

"Ensuring that all children have the skills they need for the future is essential and it is something our Botany community feels very strongly about and our Botany school principals did our community proud," she says.

"They not only gave Minister Roy a no-holds-barred account of what is needed to look after children with special education needs, but they also provided thoughtful insight into how we can ensure these students get a good quality education.

A variety of issues were raised at the meetings, including; funding, evaluation assessment, transition within and between education providers, and a whole of government approach to Special Education.

Mrs Roy - who has the delegation of Special Needs under her Associate Education portfolio - says the Botany school principals had provided her with some valuable advice and insight which would be used as part of the Government’s review of Special Education in New Zealand.

"All students - including those with disabilities - have aspirations and rights, which means that everyone should have the same opportunities to participate and to succeed at school," she says.

"While many parts of the education system work very well to support students with special education needs, there is still more to do including working on attitudes. I believe we can do better and that is why I am undertaking this review.

"Whatever changes may come from the review, I want parents to have choices. I want schools and the dedicated people who are part of special education to work together in the most effective and efficient ways possible," Mrs Roy says.

Consultation is ongoing and the Government’s review of Special Education in New Zealand is open to submissions from the public. Both Ministers are urging the Botany community to make submissions and to provide feedback to the review.

"I urge the Botany community to stand up and tell us what they think about the current Special Education system by visiting the Ministry of Education website for a copy of the discussion document and to provide their feedback before Friday March 19 2010," Mrs Wong says.

For more information about the Special Education review and access to the discussion document, visit

http://www.minedu.govt.nz/theMinistry/Consultation/ReviewOfSpecialEducat...