About the School
The Kiribati School and Centre for Children with Special Needs was established in 1991 in Bikenibeu, South Tarawa and consists of two main buildings for classrooms and vocational activities in a safe and secure compound. The buildings - both renovated - were former hospital wards, gifted to the school by the government.
There are currently 102 children from pre-school to post-school ages enrolled in the school. They are dvided into 5 program groups and a pre-school group:
1. Deafness / Hearing Impaired
2. Blindness / Vision Impaired
3. Mild Intellectual or Physical Disability
4. More severe Intellectual Disability
5. More severe Physical Disability
6. Pre School – two classes for these younger students
The children's disabilities include blindness, deafness, spinal bifida, mental retardation, Down Syndrome, muscular dystrophy, hydrocephalia, and a range of other physical disabilities - plus variety of conditions in the autism and Aspergers Syndrome spectrum.
Currently the school has a staff of 22 comprising the Principal, 16 teachers and five support staff and 102 enrolled students from pre-school to post-school age.
The school is actively managed by a committed Committee of Management which organizes a range of fundraising events and donor contributions.
The core running costs for the School are substantially supported by AusAID – however there are areas which these funds do not cover and which are a constant source of concern for our parents. These include the provision of specialized resources to cover the educational needs of these children. Also the identification of malnutrition in some of our children means we now supply a balanced lunch for all students – covering the real costs for this catering is beyond the means of most families. Further links:
- Kiribati School and Centre for Children with Special Needs
- Global Soul: The Kiribati Connection… a personal perspective on the school
