The exclusion of children with disabilities by the Ministry of Education is an unacceptable and erroneous decision

Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 22 May 2020, Nicosia

The Ministry of Education’s decision to exclude children with disabilities from returning to school has justifiably provoked outrage and people’s reactions. The handling of the matter by the Ministry of Education doesn’t just demonstrate sloppiness and a lack of elementary coordination. It reveals an extremely problematic perception of disability, the rights of children with disabilities, the philosophy governing special education and of parity.

The government must be even more careful when giving answers on this issue. It must realize that “it is a major issue” when a child with a disability and his family are subjected to such inhumane discrimination, time-consuming procedures and insensitivity on the part of the state.

The Minister of Education is doubly exposed. The Team of Scientists which has been advising the state for three months now had not discussed, nor was it asked to give its own opinion on the issue.

Why didn’t the Minister of Education discuss with the parents of children with disabilities?

Why didn’t he deal with the issue for weeks and remembered it last night?

Why didn’t he listen to the Commissioner for the Rights of the Child?