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Press Releases

May 29, 2008

MOE Continues to Boost Support for Students with Special Needs in Mainstream Schools

Another 33 schools will receive trained Special Needs Officers (SNOs) to support students with mild to moderate dyslexia and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by mid-2009. This will bring the total number of schools that will be staffed with SNOs to 136 schools (105 primary schools and 31 secondary schools). MOE will continue to provide more schools with SNOs within the next few years.

In addition to providing SNOs to schools, MOE also provides training in special needs education for 10% of teachers in primary schools and 20% of teachers in secondary schools. To date, around 1200 teachers have been trained in special needs and an additional 800 will be undergoing training in May 2008. The training enables teachers to better support students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and speech and learning difficulties in their own schools. An estimated 2900 teachers will be trained between 2005 and 2010.

These measures are part of MOE’s continuing effort to provide resources to support students with special needs in primary and secondary schools.

The list of 33 primary and secondary schools to be given resources for ASD and dyslexia support by mid-2009 can be found in Annex A.

Feedback from schools that have benefited from the additional support of SNOs and resource teachers have been favourable. Mdm Lim Lan Chin, Principal, Seng Kang Primary School said, “Special Needs Officers are a good complement to the existing team of officers comprising Educational Psychologists, Guidance Officers, Reading Specialists, Full-time School Counsellors, Teacher Counsellors and Teachers trained in Special Needs. To begin with, SNOs’ interest in helping children with special needs is a great start for the school community. Apart from providing smaller group intervention, they are a tremendous source of on-site support for special needs pupils, especially in integrating them into mainstream education.”

Ms Sum Chee Wah, Director, Educational Programmes Division said, “SNOs and teachers trained in Special Needs allow us to provide a school environment that gives the best possible educational support to students with dyslexia, ASD and other learning difficulties at all levels from primary through to post-secondary education. We are heartened by the dedication and perseverance that our SNOs and teachers have shown in helping students with special learning needs. The Ministry will continue to explore how we can enhance support to these students.”

Information on schools staffed with SNOs will be made available on the MOE website, and publications such as the Secondary One “Choosing Your Secondary School” Information Booklet. Students with special needs will go through the normal Primary One registration and Secondary One posting processes.

####Background

The pioneer batch of schools that received SNOs to support students with special needs was announced in May 2005.

The SNOs provide additional in-class support, small group specialised remedial work and/or skills training for students with mild to moderate learning difficulties. They complement the support that class teachers provide to these students.

SNOs are required to have a minimum qualification of a diploma or a full GCE ‘A’ level certificate. Some SNOs also have relevant experience in working with children with special needs. Applicants are also required to have good interpersonal skills and the passion to work with children with special needs. SNOs undergo a one year full-time Diploma in Special Education course conducted by the National Institute of Education (NIE). They will be deployed to mainstream schools resourced for ASD and dyslexia support after their professional training with NIE.

Annex A

Schools Resourced for Support of Special Needs by Mid-2009
Primary Schools (Dyslexia Support)
  1. Canberra Primary School
  2. Casuarina Primary School
  3. CHIJ (Toa Payoh) Primary
  4. Clementi Primary School
  5. Concord Primary School
  6. Da Qiao Primary School
  7. East Spring Primary School
  8. East View Primary School
  9. Keming Primary School
  10. Marymount Convent School
  11. Meridian Primary School
  12. North Vista Primary School
  13. Qihua Primary School
  14. Queenstown Primary School
  15. Singapore Chinese Girls’ Primary School
  16. South View Primary School
  17. Tanjong Katong Primary School
  18. Teck Ghee Primary School
  19. West Grove Primary School
  20. Woodlands Ring Primary School
  21. Xinmin Primary School
  22. Xishan Primary School
  23. Yu Neng Primary School
  24. Yuhua Primary School
  25. Yumin Primary School
Secondary Schools (Dyslexia Support)
  1. Assumption English School
  2. Hillgrove Secondary School
  3. Loyang Secondary School
  4. Marsiling Secondary School
  5. Regent Secondary School
Secondary Schools (ASD Support)
  1. Bedok North Secondary School
  2. Fuchun Secondary School
  3. Pioneer Secondary School