THREE special needs schools will be able to move into their new homes next month, thanks to the efforts of the Digicel Foundation.

The NAZ Children’s Centre in Montego Bay, STEP Centre in St Andrew, and Early Stimulation Plus School in downtown Kingston, will all start the upcoming school year in new facilities, specially designed for the needs of their student populations.

STEP Centre Principal Hilary Sherlock said the new building will include spaces which enhance therapy and learning, including a specially designed playground, sensory garden and sensory room.

“Digicel Foundation is going to be a game changer on how people see special needs children,” remarked Peta-Rose Hall, chairperson of the STEP Centre. “So few foundations would be doing what they are doing now and I want to thank them for leading the way,” she added.

STEP (School for Therapy, Education and Parenting of Children with Multiple Disabilities) is the only facility in Jamaica that offers physical, occupational, art, speech and language therapy as part of its daily curriculum. The centre currently caters to 22 special needs children daily, but with the construction of the new $30-million building, it will be able to increase enrolment to 32.

An early stimulation programme is being undertaken, in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, to enhance the learning environment provided to special needs children participating in the PATH programme. The first school to benefit from this collaboration will be Early Stimulation Plus, located in downtown Kingston.

Currently, the Digicel Foundation is constructing a temporary facility that will house the children until the ministry is able to complete construction of a permanent structure. Once the school has been completed, the temporary structure will be converted to administrative offices, staff and training rooms.

“The assistance that the Digicel Foundation has provided to us and the disabilities sector in general is well needed,” said Antonica-Gunter Gail, director of Early Stimulation Plus. “We cannot thank the foundation enough. This will not only impact the children currently in the programme, but children in the disabilities sector for years to come,” she said.

The Early Stimulation Plus project is valued at $27 million and includes eight classrooms, one physical therapy room, a training room, and other amenities. The intervention will help more than 120 students in the new school year. They will benefit from improved equipment, specialised furniture and resources that will support existing programmes offered at the school.

Judine Hunter, programme manager for special needs at the Digicel Foundation, stressed that special needs children should be afforded the same opportunities as other children in the educational sector.

“In order for our society to progress, we must provide special attention to our most vulnerable populations,” said Gunter-Gayle. “Children with disabilities must receive the same level of educational opportunity as other children. We at the foundation are determined to ensure that these children are provided with the learning environment that they need to be successful.”

NAZ Children’s Centre, the only mixed ability school in western Jamaica, uses a holistic approach in providing quality education. Students enjoy individualised attention from teachers and staff in small class settings. However, the centre’s four existing classrooms cannot adequately accommodate its students.

Once the new building is complete, to the tune of $31 million, the school will have a total of eight classrooms to better house its grade levels — kindergarten through Grade 6. NAZ Children’s Centre will then be able to double its student population, enrolling 86 to 100 students.

In addition to the construction of new facilities, the foundation has sponsored the training of educators in the special needs sector. Throughout the course of next year, Digicel Foundation will host a series of sessions aimed at working with teachers and caregivers to offer practical training and support programmes with the aim of empowering staff and parents to better care for special needs children.

“Special needs education is something that is urgently needed across the country,” noted Samantha Chantrelle, executive director of the Digicel Foundation. “By investing in these institutions, we are trying to develop the educational opportunities available across the island in a way that will truly be impactful,” she said.