The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Al Hawkins, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development:

Mr. Speaker, the Newfoundland and Labrador Association for Community Living, a non-profit organization that works with and on behalf of individuals with an intellectual disability and their families, is inviting nominations for the 2019 Inclusive Education Award.

Each year, the award is presented to a K-12 school in Newfoundland and Labrador for their outstanding efforts to develop and design their classrooms, programs and activities so that all students can participate in all aspects of school life.

Mr. Speaker, this government supports safe, caring and inclusive environments enabling all students to reach their full potential. As part of our Education Action Plan, the department is developing a new policy on responsive teaching and learning for all students, based on the philosophy of inclusion and meeting the needs of all students. We are working closely with teachers in Phase I schools to gather their feedback to ensure the new policy will meet the needs of students.

While the implementation of inclusive educational practices has improved considerably, it is important to continually strive to break down barriers and identify opportunities to implement proven approaches to teaching and learning for all students.

I encourage students and teachers to celebrate inclusive education and apply for the Inclusive Education Award. The deadline for submissions is April 12. Information about the award and the new guidelines are available on the Newfoundland and Labrador Association for Community Living website .

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Appel de candidatures pour le Prix de l’inclusion scolaire