The Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat held a special seminar on Tuesday in an effort to address the issues of learning difficulties and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
According to a MoE press release, the seminar, which was held at the Pegasus Hotel, was attended by senior education officers, teachers, cadet officers, mainstream teachers and those attached to special schools. It was executed in collaboration with the G. Halley Marville Trust and facilitated by Educational Psychologist Dr Ysanne Marville and Craig Shirley, Integrative Therapist and OCD specialist.
Minister of Education Dr Nicolette Henry, in her remarks, said that in order to understand learning difficulties and OCD, there needs to be inclusive learning, teaching and research attitude and culture to enable students, staff and stakeholders to develop their full potential.
“Being inclusive within this context also requires understanding, preparedness and resources to enable us to deal with an increasingly diverse set of students whilst endeavouring to provide an excellent learning experience. This, ladies and gentlemen, includes learning disability and obsessive compulsive disorder,” she was quoted as saying. According to Henry, having a learning disability means that a person finds it harder to learn certain life skills. She said that this may include aspects such as learning new things, communication, reading, writing or even personal care, the release said.
However, the Education Minister noted that disability should not be confused with inability. “It does not in any way suggest that the person is incapable of learning. No! This only implies that they may learn at a slower rate or pace. While some people are born with a disability, others may develop one as a result of an accident or illness in childhood. And you must agree with me (that) time and unforeseen occurrence can befall any of us. Accidents do not have face, status, ethnicity or even religion. So, all of us should be patient, kind and willing to acknowledge persons with learning disability,” she said.
The minister emphasised that with the right support, persons with learning difficulties can live full and meaningful lives. She said that if this support is not provided, those persons may face problems in gaining independence or a home of their own, in accessing leisure and recreational activities, and/or in developing friendships and relationships.
“Whether learning disability or obsessive compulsive disorder, the Ministry of Education is mandated to provide learning opportunities for all. One of our current initiatives is providing inclusive learning and teaching,” Henry was quoted as saying. Assistant Secretary-General for Human and Social Development at CARICOM, Dr Douglas Slater, told the gathering that parents of children with learning disabilities navigate the path of education and independence differently. He said that all children need care and attention as they learn and develop. Parents and their children with special education needs, if unrecognised, can be affected in education and the quality of life experiences that they will have, he added.
The release said that Slater pointed out that the CARICOM Human Resource Development Strategy 2030 recognises the need to deliberately design regional education systems that promote access and participation in quality, relevance and equity in education.
Meanwhile, Vice-Chairperson of the G. Halley Marville Trust, Janis Marville, said that the Trust is a registered charity in Barbados and was birthed last year to address mental health issues and OCD.
She disclosed that the primary objective of the Marville Trust is to support the social and emotional well-being of children and young people, and aims to channel the silence surrounding mental health by placing particular focus on OCD.
In addition, Marville said that the Trust also seeks to give voice and raise awareness to children and young people with additional needs and difficulties such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
