Practice has shown the limits of inclusion, therefore autistic people will have their own primary school

Pupils will go to school in Táboritú street in Bělidle. It will be a separate workplace of a special elementary school located in Šternberk at the address Olomoucká 76. Enrollment in mid-April lasted three days.

“We did not expect such high interest, 28 children entered the first classes, of which we will open three. We also offer a preparatory level for preschoolers, where there will be two classes for ages five to eight,” said the director of the Šternber school, Radka Urbanová Kovaříková. “We left part of those 28 children in one class in Šternberk, and three classes will be in Olomouc,” she specified.

The building was previously used as a school, but due to its new orientation, structural modifications are needed. The region gave three million crowns for a more suitable division of the interior spaces.

“There are large classes in the building, which will be divided by partitions, as the children will be in smaller groups of four to six. There are also therapeutic classrooms or special rest rooms where only one child can be. Let’s not imagine a classical school,” explained regional councilor for education Aleš Jakubec (TOP 09, elected for the Allies coalition).

“There will probably be five to seven classes. They will be smaller, only one will have up to fourteen children. It will also include pupils from primary school, who are currently being educated as part of inclusion, but the autism spectrum disorder limits them to such an extent that it is already very problematic for them to thrive well in regular school and develop social skills,” added the director.

Autism is a developmental disorder of social interaction and communication. An innate difference in the development and functioning of the brain causes the child to behave and think differently from peers. He has difficulties in communication and cannot adequately respond to common situations.

It is to prepare children to take care of themselves

A meeting with parents is scheduled for the end of this month. “Children will still be accepted. It will be one primary school class and one special primary school class,” added Urbanová Kovaříková. Registration for preparatory classes will be on Monday, May 13.

Children are expected to develop self-care and the ability to take care of themselves in basic situations. Classrooms will either have a teacher and two assistants, or two teachers and one assistant. At the end of their attendance, children should be prepared for the transition to secondary education or for a life journey, such as sheltered housing or sheltered supported employment.

The lack of an adequate school in Olomouc was particularly pointed out by parents. Some had to commute to other cities with their children.

“For several years, we have been demanding suitable educational conditions for children with autism, which we lacked here. Not all children can function well within the framework of inclusion in ordinary primary schools – or at least not throughout the entire period of primary education – and the special education offered was insufficient,” summarized Eva Vingrálková on the website of the association Jdeme Autistům Naproti.

“Children with autism have their own specifics, the stressful factor for them is not only teaching itself. They are much more sensitive to the surrounding environment, sounds and noise, light, but also other sensory sensations can become too burdensome for them. All this is reflected in their behavior, mood, skills and ability to function in school, home or other environments,” she also stated.

Especially for children with a more difficult form

Last autumn, therefore, an expedition, including representatives of the regional council and the office, set out from the region to visit an autistic school in Brno.

“I wasn’t a big fan at first because we’re dealing with inclusion and this is segregation. But when I talked to the principal, the teachers, they explained to me that these children are not the most suitable for inclusion. In addition, the number of children with autism is increasing. I said that we are going to do it, and I managed to convince the council,” said Jakubec.

At the same time, he pointed out that the new school is mainly for children with a more severe form of the disorder. For example, the Brno school requires the submission of psychological tests and medical reports.

The conditions are similar in Olomouc. “We are still waiting for some children, because an important criterion to be met is to have an autism spectrum disorder diagnosed by a psychologist or psychiatrist. It is often difficult, families sometimes wait a long time before they get their turn,” said director Urbanová Kovaříková.

According to Jakubec, the region expects to increase the school’s capacity in the future. “We also deal with places in kindergartens. We have a nursery school for children with autism in Blanicka, Olomouc, with a capacity of fifteen children. Although we have already approved an increase to thirty, but there is no room for it, so we are dealing with an extension,” outlined the councilor.