While the full inclusion of students with special educational needs into mainstream schools here can be achieved, it will require “considerable change” to the current system. Published this week, the consultation formed part of the NCSE's current review of the policy advice for special schools and classes. More than 30 different stakeholder groups and 19 special schools, mainstream primary and post-primary schools were asked their views on a fully inclusive school system. Today, approximately 98% of students, with and without special educational needs, attend mainstream primary and post-primary classes, according to the NCSE. Parents would also need to feel confident that their children would be fully accepted in mainstream schools, and teacher-pupil ratios would need to be reduced.

Source: Irish Examiner November 19, 2019 18:12 UTC