2022
Special needs education / inclusion Foundation of a joint institution for special needs education The entire special needs education know-how of the German-speaking Community is to be pooled in a new, independent and pluralistic institution under public law, modelled on the Autonomous University of East Belgium (AHS) and Kaleido East Belgium, in order to be able to use the existing resources for high-threshold support in mainstream schools for the benefit of pupils in an even more tailored manner in the future. In concrete terms, this means that the Centre for Special Needs Education (ZFP) with all its locations will be transferred from the community teaching system (GUW) to this non-network institution. The Free Subsidised Education (FSU) is also transferring the Pater Damian Fördergrundschule to the institution. The institution will become home to the previous integration teachers and specialist staff (currently BVA staff). At the same time, the mainstream schools will be given more say and more flexibility in the deployment of these advisory and support staff through cooperation agreements. Thus, mainstream schools will have only one central contact person for the integration of pupils with special needs. Low-threshold support will remain with the mainstream schools. Objectives of the institution: 1. provision of special needs education at the remedial primary and remedial secondary school level; 2. running a special needs boarding school with an inclusive orientation; 3. assisting with the vocational integration and inclusion of pupils and ensuring inclusive work placements in companies; 4. cooperation with mainstream schools in the provision of educational and therapeutic specialist and support staff; 5. providing educational and therapeutic specialist and support staff to advise and assist in the inclusion of pupils with special needs; 6. advising and assisting mainstream schools and centres for initial and continuing training in SMEs and small and medium-sized enterprises on special educational needs and inclusive education issues; 7. organising and implementing measures to expand the remedial education competences of staff members in the education system and to promote inclusive education; 8. cooperation in the development of concepts on special needs education issues and on the promotion of inclusive education, its management and implementation. The new institution is scheduled to start in the school year 2024/2025.
2021
There have been no reforms to date in this area.
2020
There have been no reforms to date in this area.