More facilities for special needs pupils in RAK

Some private schools in RAK are preparing for the integration of more special needs students.

Some private schools in Ras Al Khaimah are updating their facilities to integrate more special needs pupils.

Private schools in the emirate taught 936 special needs pupils in the 2012 to 2013 academic year, but some parents complained they were ill-equipped.

Among the complaints were that special needs facilities did not stretch throughout the schools, but were limited to certain classrooms and that staff were not trained to deal with disabled students.

The head of private education in RAK's education district, Salem Jaber, said that private schools could choose whether to integrate special needs students. Those that chose to integrate the students needed to accept criteria set by the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Education.

He said some schools in RAK were already qualified to teach special needs students and that these schools were monitored for any violations of the ministries' criteria.

Ayesha Al Zaydani, a private education coordinator at RAK educational district, said in addition to the 936 special needs students at private schools, a further 354 were taught at public schools.

She said the selection and distribution of special needs students among the schools was done according to type of disability and the availability of specialist facilities.