Fewer special needs teachers available for more students with special educational needs

The number of students with special educational needs is growing faster than the number of teachers trained to work with such students, daily Népszava said on Monday.

Human Resources Ministry figures for the 2019/2020 academic year showed 9,700 special needs teachers, speech therapists and conductive education specialists employed in public education, representing a drop from slightly over 10,000 at the end of last year, the paper said.

At the same time, 2,300 more children were diagnosed with special educational needs this year than last year, with their number reaching 93,800.

They included 10,300 in integrated kindergartens or remedial educational facilities and 56,500 in primary school, the paper said citing Central Statistical Office figures.

The shortage of professionals is also demonstrated by the fact that 16,000 students were studying to become special needs teachers in 2018/2019 as against 19,500 in 2010/2011, the paper said.

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