Under my Department's weighted system of teacher allocation for pupils with learning support and higher incidence special educational needs, the appropriate level of teaching support is determined by school enrolment figures and based on the following criteria: in the most disadvantaged schools, as per the urban dimension of Giving Children an Even Break, a teacher of pupils with special educational needs will be allocated for every 80 pupils to cater for the subset of pupils with higher incidence special needs; in all boys schools, the ratio will be one teacher for every 140 pupils; in mixed schools, or all girls schools with an enrolment of greater than 30% boys, one for every 150 pupils; and in all girls schools, including schools with mixed junior classes but with 30% or less boys overall, one for every 200 pupils.
The revised system has been developed in consultation with representative interests. It is a genuine effort to improve the special education resource allocation process. The differentiation under the general weighted allocation reflects the experience of needs both within this country and internationally. Pupils with lower incidence special educational needs will continue to receive individual allocations of teacher support as appropriate.
I will continue to work for improvements in the provision of education services for children with special educational needs and, in this context, will monitor the implementation of the new system to ensure its efficiency and effectiveness.
