NOVELETA, Cavite – Parents of children with special concerns and attention no longer have to travel far in neighboring cities and private institutions with special schools following Monday’s opening of the pioneering Special Education (SPED) Center here, which is under the auspices of the Department of Education (DepEd) local office.
The DepEd opened the new SPED center at the Noveleta Central Elementary School in Barangay San Rafael II in time for Monday’s opening of regular classes in public schools.
Noveleta Mayor Dino Reyes Chua, together with Noveleta Elementary School Principal III Marieta Eseque, visited the new SPED center and met with the SPED teacher Cristal Joy Tadeo.
Chua greeted the school children with special concerns and needs and asked the SPED teacher the usual school needs and assistance.
The opening of the SPED center here is in line with DepEd’s thrust in providing quality and inclusive basic education for all.
During Monday’s opening of classes, the SPED center has already 10 special learners enrolled this school year.
The DepEd SPED program ensures that learners with exceptionalities will have access to quality education with special SPED teachers, who look after them by giving them their individual and unique learning needs.
According to DepEd, the learners or students accepted under the program include those with visual impairment, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, learning disability, autism spectrum disorder, communication disorder, physical disability, emotional and behavioral disorder, multiple disability with visual impairment, and those who are orthopedically handicapped, chronically ill, and yet gifted and talented.
A parent of a SPED student expressed appreciation to the local DepEd office and Mayor Chua for putting the special school for learners with special needs here for free.
“Napakaganda ho ng programang ito ng DepEd at ni Mayor Chua. Makakabalik na ho ulit kami ng anak ko sa pag-aaral, dahil walking distance lang ho ang paaralan sa amin, dati ho kasi sa Cavite City pa ang malapit na SPED dito sa bayan ng Noveleta. (This is a laudable program of the DepEd and Mayor Chua. Now, my child could resume basic education because this SPED center is just a walking distance from our house. Before, we used to travel to Cavite City where the SPED center there is then the nearest to our town of Noveleta),” she remarked.
Chua said there is still a “need to improve more on the facilities for them to be more comfortable in the classroom and we will do our best for our SPED students and parents.” (Dennis Abrina/PNA)
