Swiss teacher union warns inclusive education reaching limits

Although inclusive education presents challenges, the Swiss teachers union is still in favour of students being taught in mainstream classes. KEYSTONE/© KEYSTONE / GAETAN BALLY

The president of the Swiss teachers’ association (LCH) has warned that inclusive schooling is reaching a breaking point. More resources are needed to enable students with special needs to succeed in mainstream classes.

“We are feeling the limit that we have always warned about,” said Dagmar Rösler, central president of the German-speaking teachers’ union (LCH). “It can’t go on like this.”

The necessary resources are lacking. “With the wide variety of needs and demands that can be found in a class today, there should actually be two specialists in a classroom. Permanently,” said Rösler in an interview with SonntagsBlick.

In her view, the current situation stems from the shortcomings of the past. “For example, we have had too few special needs teachers for 20 years and not even half of those working in special needs education have the appropriate training,” she said. “We missed the opportunity to make it easier for interested people to take further training at an early stage. This is now taking its toll.”

+ The Swiss education system, explained

In some schools, out of necessity, unqualified school assistants are also responsible for looking after children with behavioral problems. “But as long as school is taking place, people always say it’s fine. That doesn’t leave the school unscathed,” said the LCH central president. “I am certain that sooner or later the negative effects of the emergency solutions will become apparent, in special education, in the classroom and in pupils’ learning success.”

Rösler continues to support inclusive schooling as a concept, which has been in place for 20 years, although it presents many challenges. “We are still in favor of as many pupils as possible being taught in mainstream classes, because it has been proven that they can benefit greatly from interacting with others,” she said.

Translated from German by DeepL/jdp.

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