Professional Development needed for parents on learning disabilities – Proposed Kingdom Party Representative

Parents should receive professional development along with teachers to better understand learning disabilities.

Proposed Kingdom Fiji Party General Secretary, Paul Morrell highlighted this during the consultation on the Education Act 1966 at Albert Park in Suva.

Morrell stressed that the growing number of students diagnosed with autism and other learning challenges were not recognized in the 1980s and 1990s.

The General Secretary says to bridge that, professional development should be included on issues that arise within the classroom so that the parent will also be aware. Morrell says through this, the parents will have certain skills and patience when he or she is teaching the child at home.

Morrell also addressed the teacher workload, proposing that the ideal teacher-to-student ratio be set at 1 is to 30.

He says that if a teacher handles more than 30 students, the Ministry of Education should include provisions in the Act to re-numerate the teacher accordingly.

He further says that final-year education students can also assist in classrooms, providing them with both practical experience and an opportunity to earn.