The president of the Autism Association of Barbados has welcomed the government’s plan to expand reading and mathematics programmes when schools reopen — but warned that without stronger classroom support, children with disabilities risk being left behind.
Frank Johnson praised the initiatives as “a great idea for all students”, but stressed that “all students” must include those with special needs. He urged the Ministry of Education to pair its reforms with sustained, specialised assistance in classrooms, particularly through the deployment of qualified teachers’ aides.
The recently announced measures form part of a broad overhaul aimed at addressing persistent gaps in literacy, numeracy and curriculum delivery.
Johnson called the reforms a step in the right direction, but said they must be grounded in practical support for teachers and students with learning challenges.
“They cover kids who can’t talk completely, who are unable to read or communicate, or they may be dyslexic, they may have ADHD, they may be very inattentive in class, and, of course, they may be on the autism spectrum,” he told Barbados TODAY.
He warned that without such support, teachers are being asked to perform an impossible balancing act — catering to both high-achieving students and those who require intensive help.
“You need teacher’s aides to be able to be effective, and it is impossible for the main teacher to be running around from very bright pupils in classes to then give their attention to students who need a hell of a lot of help,” he said.
“If they need a hell of a lot of help, how are you supposed to reach the two ends of the spectrum at once… of very bright regular kids and kids who are disabled? You can’t do it.”
Right now, there are not enough teacher’s aides in classrooms, Johnson said.
He called for the return of early screening and assessment for learning disabilities, a practice he said was once that standard but has faded from the education budget in recent years.
The absence of these early checks, he argued, has meant that too many children with disabilities slip through the cracks, only to struggle later in school without the tools or resources they need.
(SB)
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