The Government of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, on a proposal from Education Minister Valérie Glatigny, has given the green light to the opening of two new special education sites in Braine-l'Alleud and Marchienne-au-Pont. Good news for pupils and their families: more places, solutions closer to home and support that better meets these children's specific needs.
In Braine-l'Alleud, more places and better-adapted support, particularly for autistic children
A first site will open in Braine-l'Alleud, on the former site of “Les Genévriers” at the Athénée Riva Bella. Part of the WBE special primary school “Les Papillons”, it will offer types 1 (mild intellectual disability), 3 (behavioural disorders) and 8 (learning disorders), and should accommodate an average of 24 pupils.
This new site addresses a concrete reality. Another existing site in Braine-l'Alleud can only accommodate 50 pupils under suitable conditions and faces a growing number of requests. Not all can currently be met, forcing some families to look for a school further away, which lengthens pupils' journeys.
Particular attention will be given to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Indeed, a significant proportion of requests concern autistic children. The current “La Chenille” site is not sufficiently equipped to meet some of these specific needs.
The opening of this new site should, together with the two Braine-l'Alleud sites, make it possible to accommodate all pupils from the surrounding area who request it. For these pupils and their families, this means a school closer to home, but above all schooling and an environment better suited to their needs.
In Marchienne-au-Pont, a response to a lack of provision
A second site will open on the grounds of the Athénée Royal Yvonne Vieslet in Marchienne-au-Pont. Part of the Châtelet special primary and secondary school, it will offer secondary special education of form 4 for types 3 and 4 (behavioural disorders or physical disability).
Form 4 is intended for young people with specific needs, but who have sufficient intellectual abilities to follow mainstream education programmes with suitable support. However, the scarcity of this provision in the region currently forces some of them to travel long distances to more distant institutions.
The choice to locate it within a mainstream school will also foster links between special and mainstream education and gradually develop a more inclusive dynamic.
Adapting provision to pupils, not the other way round
These two openings are part of a broader effort by the Government to strengthen and better manage special education provision. In doing so, the Government already acted last July by adapting the special education framework to make it easier to develop new types or forms of education where needs are identified. At the same time, the management of provision will be strengthened to better identify areas under pressure and adapt responses more quickly to pupils' needs.
“Behind these two openings are, first and foremost, children and families who will have a better-suited solution. Some pupils currently cannot find a place that matches their needs or must travel long distances to school. It is our responsibility to develop provision where needs exist, so that every child can benefit from the best possible conditions for learning,” concludes Valérie Glatigny.