Excluding students with Down syndrome is a form of discrimination
The Minister made no distinction between those attending pre-school, primary school and those attending post-primary school. Now that the Department of Education has published restrictions on who can access the programme, we find that the scheme is not open to the majority of post-primary school students, nor to students transitioning from preschool into mainstream primary schools. (More details on the link above)
Time to get emailing and ringing your TD’s to voice your opinion at this discrimination:
Email address with links
When the Minister for Education & Skills, Mr Joe McHugh opened the Summer Provision programme for this year to include children with Down Syndrome, he made no distinction.
Now that the Department of Education has published restrictions on who can access the programme, we find that the scheme is not open to the majority of post-primary school students, nor to students transitioning from preschool into mainstream primary schools.
In fact, a Mainstream school with 10 children and 4 teachers that were willing to put on the programme have been refused.
Please be our Voice and explain to Joe McHugh and the Department for Education and Skills that our young members transitioning from preschool into mainstream primary schools and our many post-primary school students, deserve this opportunity, as well as it being essential, that they are educated during the Summer months.