Teacher education is of prime importance for the education of persons with mentally challenged. The training of teachers to work with persons with mentally challenged deserves as much priority as much as the erection of buildings and schools. Even in countries where much of the responsibilities are delegated to colleges and other teacher training institutions, some central guidance and initiative is required in this area. This could take a number of forms.
A national plan to ensure a minimum number of qualified teachers and special schools by a specified date (to be reached by annual targets).
A series of local teacher training programmes to ensure that every teacher working with children with mentally challenged has the opportunity to take a basic course in special education followed by more advanced refresher courses, workshops and short courses of in-service training. Financial incentives should be available.
Encouragement needs also to be given to the creation of a network of local support system for teachers, so that each teacher and each school can call on the advice and support of the specialist. There should be a special education resource centre within reach of every school. This might be a teacher's centre with an extensive supply of curriculum materials including films cassette tapes videotapes and other material illustrating a variety of methods and techniques used in special education.
Advanced programmes of teacher education and research are also essential to a healthy system of special education. Certain university and colleges should be regarded as centres of excellence and provide a range of advanced courses, including Master's and Doctoral programmes.
Some central guidance and initiative is also required to ensure that research and development are properly disseminated and critically evaluated by teachers. This can be done through teacher workshops and discussion group, as well as by more conventional means, such as publication.
