Persons with special needs in West Berbice can now seek formal education since for the first time a school has been established to cater for them.
The Little Treasures Special School at Golden Fleece opened its doors last November through the Josliet Missionary Outreach Health Project (JMOPH) and has seven students so far and has the capacity to accommodate more.
Executive director of JMOPH Dr Rhonda Archer told Stabroek News that the school caters for persons of all ages and noted that the oldest student is 26 years old.
She said she got the idea to start the school after she was approached by representative of the Region Five Community Based Rehabilitation Progamme (CBR) Nurse Deslyn Fraser.
Dr Archer pointed out that some of the students suffer from mental disorders and mild physical disabilities but they are still learning to spell and count through the literacy programme.
She urged residents who have relatives with similar problems to enrol them at the school so they too can develop their skills. She related that one of the teachers, Lonette Benjamin, was trained through the CBR to work with special needs children.
Another teacher, Onika Joseph, is volunteering her services and Dr Archer said they are also looking for other volunteers.
