The black-green state government of North Rhine-Westphalia wants to maintain special schools

The black-green state government wants to stick to special schools in North Rhine-Westphalia. School Minister Dorothee Feller has now made this clear in a report to the state parliament's technical committee. Parents of children with special educational needs should retain the opportunity to choose between special support schools and shared learning in general schools, the CDU politician emphasized. This is also anchored in the state's school law.

Inclusive education is on the school board’s agenda this Wednesday. According to figures from the ministry, out of a total of more than 172,000 students with special educational support, the majority of around 96,000 are currently taught at special schools - the remaining 76,000 at general schools.

Best possible support for unique children

“The demand to abolish special schools in favor of further developing shared learning in general schools ignores the wish of many parents of children with identified special educational needs or disabilities to have them taught at a special school,” Feller argued in her report. That's why she doesn't share the position of the German Institute for Human Rights here.

“Every child is unique – and has the right to the best possible support,” emphasized the school minister. “Every child should be optimally supported according to their talents, requirements and abilities, which means that both individualized and shared learning in the learning group is possible in lessons.”