Special Education

The education of children with disabilities is provided in special education (SPED) schools. As at January 2002, there were nineteen SPED schools run by Voluntary Welfare Organizations (VWOs) receiving funding from the Ministry of Education and the National Council of Social Service. The SPED schools run different programmes catering to distinct disability groups of children who are unable to benefit from mainstream schooling. Special education is also available at the Genesis School for Special Education which is a commercially-run centre, and the Dover Court Preparatory School which is a foreign system school with a special education department.

The programmes offered by SPED schools are aimed at developing the potential of pupils and helping them to be independent, self-supporting and contributing members of society. Individualized Educational Plans are drawn up for all pupils. Besides receiving classroom instruction conducted by their teachers, pupils also receive help and training from paramedical professionals such as psychologists, speech therapists, physiotherapists and social workers. The general mission of SPED schools is to provide the best possible education and training to children with special needs so as to enable them to function optimally and integrate well into society.

Pupils who are able, sit the PSLE. If successful, they leave SPED schools to continue their education in mainstream secondary schools. These pupils attend regular classes and special resource teachers are deployed to designated mainstream secondary schools to assist these pupils. Hearing impaired pupils who communicate using sign language, can opt to attend one of two designated secondary schools. Visually handicapped pupils from the Singapore School for the Visually Handicapped who pass the PSLE can choose to attend one of the four designated schools.

Pupils who are unable to continue their education in secondary schools will proceed to one of the training centres or workshops run by VWOs. Such training equips them with the necessary skills for employment. Those who are able are placed in open employment whilst those who require more supervision attend production sheltered workshops or work activity centre.