Rights commissioner warns against segregation of students with a disability

The Commissioner for the Rights of Disabled Persons has warned against segregating disabled students but said continuous training for educators was essential.

Samantha Pace Gasan was weighing in on the incident in a Gozitan primary school where a teacher suffered a broken arm after being accosted by a student.

The incident happened in a resource centre, where students with severe disability receive part or all of their instruction.

The issue was flagged by the Malta Union of Teachers on Wednesday and the Education Ministry later said it will be setting up a working group to review the situation in resource centres.

Pace Gasan expressed solidarity with the injured educator but called for caution on the issue so as not to create a stigma on disabled people and their families.

Without entering into the merits of the particular case, she said persons with a disability who have a tendency to express themselves in socially unacceptable ways must be heard and provided with the necessary support to prevent situations from getting out of control.

“A person with a disability is a whole person, with their interests, aspirations and talents, but also with their different emotions and concerns. Those who provide a service have to take into consideration the possibility that persons with a disability could find it difficult to communicate and have heightened senses that could lead to anxiety in particular situations or environments that are uncomfortable,” Pace Gasan said.

She said the CRPD acknowledges the concerns raised over the protection of workers and other students but insisted students with a disability should not be excluded or segregated.

“Continuous training for school workers to have a truly inclusive society is essential,” Pace Gasan said.

The CRPD wants the Education Ministry to set up a working group to address these challenges and insists this should be one of the first priorities to be addressed in schools.