Inclusion is an ongoing issue in education policy. What is best for girls and boys who have a disability that makes learning particularly difficult?
Dresden (dpa / sn) - Saxony's state parliament has amended the school law and wants to strengthen inclusion. With the amendment to the law passed on Thursday, a five-year model project at 20 schools ends. At these institutions, it was not until grade 2 that it was decided whether certain children needed special support in terms of learning or emotional and social development. "The original idea of not labeling children at an early age was well-intentioned, but had one major disadvantage," said Minister of Education Christian Piwarz (CDU). The primary purpose of special educational diagnostics is to enable targeted support as quickly as possible.
"Early diagnosis is key in order to be able to offer special educational support for the children who depend on it," explained Green education expert Christin Melcher. The coalition has made financial provisions in the upcoming double budget in order to continue to provide appropriate support for the former pilot schools after July 31, 2023 - for example with additional assistants or earmarked allocations.
"In the future, the school law provides that the school supervisory board, in coordination with the school management and the school authorities, can determine the location of the inclusive school if there is no agreement within a cooperation network. This is intended to prevent a child from being referred from one school to the other and ultimately is not schooled," explained Melcher. Should cases have been reported from Dresden and the Ore Mountains. With the amendment to the law, other types of schools would be opened up for "teaching with different learning objectives", specifically vocational and vocational schools.
Nevertheless, the left saw a missed opportunity to comprehensively improve school education for children with disabilities. Deputy Luise Neuhaus-Wartenberg emphasized that since 2009 the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has given all children the right to inclusive schooling. But Saxony continues to hold on to the special education system. "Far too often, children with impairments and disabilities are denied attending a general school because they still cannot be adequately supported there. This sets the course for their entire professional life, because there are also special worlds for people with disabilities on the job market. "
