At the 2021 Education COS, I made a call to improve the outcomes of students with SEN (Special Education Needs) in Mainstream, SPED schools and Higher Education.

For SPED schools, I specifically asked for the following three measures:

• Conduct a Joint Visioning exercise among key stakeholder groups on the SPED Schools of the Future

• Develop Alliances for Action to improve education and life outcomes for students of SPED schools

• Design and pilot Lifelong Learning SPED Schools with partners, sponsors and the major disability groups. All - to bring out the best and extend the runway for students in SPED schools.

Here’s my FULL SPEECH for friends who care about this special community :

Over the last 15 years, MOE has been paying increasing attention to students with Special Educational Needs or SEN. This is deeply appreciated.

About 20% of students with SEN attend some 19 Special Education or SPED schools. The rest, 80%, attend mainstream schools in Singapore. A proportion of these students then move on to Institutions of Higher Learning (IHLs).

First, on students with SEN at IHL level.

INTERNSHIPS are vital to IHL students, offering them work exposure and boosting their chances for obtaining future employment. Many students with SEN find challenges in securing internship opportunities to get the authentic work experiences that they need. Without proper support, their chances in securing and completing the internships are low.

I seek to find out the success rate of securing and completing internships for students with SEN in IHLs; and how MOE is supporting the IHLs and these students.

Next, turning to Mainstream Primary and Secondary Schools. Students with SEN in mainstream schools follow the national curriculum set by the MOE. Their eligibility for the next level of education weighs heavily on their academic scores, and academics understandably take precedence during curriculum time.

Teachers and supporting allied educators often feedback that there is insufficient time and expertise to build and coach them in the non-academic life skills which they often badly need.

Can MOE update on its plans to provide MORE SUPPORT so that students with SEN in mainstream schools are better prepared for the next phase of life, either to the IHLs or for work? Is there another model different from the current model that might work?

Finally, on Special Education or SPED Schools which are run in collaboration with disability SSAs (social service agencies).

Many SPED students in SPED need a longer runway to learn both literacy and life skills. The runway is even longer with the disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic. More than the rest of their peers, SPED school students badly need lifelong learning.

Recent years saw interesting developments in the SPED sector:

• an increased number of SPED schools in Singapore;

• an increase in secondment of MOE career mainstream principals to run special schools; and

• an increase in MOE HQ SPED management, control and reporting requirements.

Tight governance, compliance and reporting are all very critical matters whenever resources, public or community, are expended. But for especially the SPED sector, where challenges abound, the Government needs to find a better way to bring out the best in its disability charity partners and the community assets the latter can harness.

I have three suggestions for MOE’s favourable consideration:

1. Conduct a Joint Visioning exercise amongst key stakeholder groups on the SPED SCHOOLS OF THE FUTURE;

2. Develop ALLIANCES FOR ACTION to effectively look into how the sector can innovatively better the education and life outcomes of students ;

3. Design and PILOT LIFELONG LEARNING SCHOOLS with willing partners and sponsors for the major disability groups.

Denise Phua

3 March 2021