Lack of teachers, special education centers face difficulties

(Baohatinh.vn) - The establishment of specialized education centers in Ha Tinh is lighting up hopes, opening the door to integration for children with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disorders. However, the centers still face many difficulties, especially the lack of teachers.

Entering any specialized education center in Ha Tinh, we can feel the warm atmosphere, filled with laughter and the typical sounds of children. Here, each teacher is a "special instructor", patiently shaping and developing the smallest skills for the children.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong - a parent whose child is studying at a specialized education center in Thanh Sen ward could not hide her emotions: "When I found out my child had autism spectrum disorder, my whole family collapsed. Fortunately, thanks to the specialized education center, my child has made significant progress, from communication to cognition. I am truly grateful to the teachers here."

Teachers in a focused 1:1 tutoring session for children.

Ms. Tran Thi Que - a long-time teacher at Nhan Tri Center for Research and Development of Inclusive Education ( Ha Tinh ) shared: "Witnessing children who are slow to speak, have difficulty grasping, cannot play actively and even cry uncontrollably before class, surely everyone feels heartbroken. Every day, seeing the children progress even just a little, we feel our efforts are rewarded. There are children who, from not being able to say a word, can now communicate basically and integrate better with friends. That is the greatest happiness of those in the profession."

Specialized centers can intervene early, providing personalized education programs, speech therapy, physical therapy and necessary life skills, helping children maximize their potential. However, educating special children in Ha Tinh still faces many difficulties. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai - Director of Nhan Tri Center for Research and Development of Inclusive Education (Ha Tinh) confided: "Teaching children with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disorders requires patience, deep expertise and a flexible approach. Each child has their own characteristics, we have to design a suitable program for each individual, which takes a lot of time and effort".

Each activity or lesson is carefully designed to suit each child.

Despite their love for the profession and their dedication, teachers are facing a lot of pressure and difficulties. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai added: "To become a real special education teacher, it is not only necessary to have knowledge but also love, understanding and the ability to adapt quickly. The work pressure is high, but the compensation is sometimes not commensurate, causing many teachers, despite their love for the profession, to have to consider."

Currently, the most difficult problem is the shortage of teachers with deep expertise in special education. The source of human resources with formal training is very limited. The center currently has about 4 teachers but has to take charge of teaching and caring for 32-38 children, which means each teacher has to take care of 7-8 students with different levels of disorders. Not only stopping at regular school hours, teachers also have to spend time tutoring each child. Each child with special needs requires a separate approach and intervention. This means that teachers have to work hard, exceeding the prescribed time to ensure that each child receives the necessary attention and support.

The progress of the children is the greatest happiness of the special teachers.

Not only specialized education centers but also medical facilities are facing overload. Currently, the Pediatric Rehabilitation Unit, under the Department of Pediatrics, Ha Tinh Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital, only has about 20 speech and motor therapy intervention technicians. However, currently, the number of children needing intervention in this department has increased to about 364 children. Most of them are children with speech delay, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual and motor development delay. Each treatment usually lasts from 5-7 sessions, each session about 3 weeks or longer. The effectiveness of treatment not only comes from the regimen but also depends a lot on the cooperation and companionship from the family.

The large gap between the number of technicians and the number of patients is creating huge pressure on the team of doctors and specialists at the hospital. Ensuring the quality of intervention for each child while resources are limited is a difficult problem, requiring scientific arrangement and tireless efforts from the medical team.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Ha - Deputy Head of Pediatrics Department, in charge of Pediatric Rehabilitation Unit, Ha Tinh Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital shared: "Enhancing training and attracting specialized teachers, improving facilities and building timely financial support policies are really necessary solutions in the current situation. There needs to be a change in social awareness so that children with special needs are recognized, understood and given equal development opportunities like all other children."

In order for the centers and specialized educational units in Ha Tinh to fully promote their roles and missions, the cooperation of the community and strong support from the State are needed. The tireless efforts of the centers and specialized educational units in Ha Tinh have been bringing positive results in caring for and educating children. However, in order for these lights of hope not to be extinguished, synchronous solutions and the cooperation of the whole society are needed to create the best conditions for children with special needs to develop, grow and integrate into the community.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/thieu-giao-vien-trung-tam-giao-duc-chuyen-biet-gap-kho-post292822.html