needs are smoothly integrated into regular schools.

They include special education teachers, therapists, and paraprofessionals or teacher assistants who took up their respective posts at primary schools across the Island at the beginning of the school year.

Senior education officer of Student Services Joeann Smith yesterday told The Royal Gazette the paraprofessionals had been assigned to individual students at some schools and to groups of students at others, depending on the need.

"It is part of the integration of students with special needs,'' she said.

"Each year we have students entering the system for the first time with special needs and students whose needs have been identified throughout their time in the school.'' St. George's Secondary, Whitney, and Northlands, already had special education teachers and paraprofessionals.

The Ministry has also appointed a counsellor to oversee a new school alternative programme set up for students with emotional and behavioural problems, she added.

While the programme began during the new school year at Whitney, St. George's Secondary, Northlands, and Warwick Secondary, Ms Smith said it was too soon to give the number of students involved.

However, she noted that the schools will ensure that all other behavioural management procedures were followed before placing a student in the programme or at the Learning Support Centre at Woodlands.

The centre, which opened in January with two full-time (male and female) educational therapists and two part-time rotating therapists -- works with students until they are ready to return to the regular school setting.