Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1515804
12 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 11 FEBRUARY 2024 NEWS MATTHEW VELLA mvella@mediatoday.com.mt FUNDS AND PROGRAMMES DIVISION, MINISTRY FOR EUROPEAN FUNDS, SOCIAL DIALOGUE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION INTERREG Italia-Malta VI-A Programme 2021-2027 First Call for Project Proposals The Territorial Cooperation Unit within the Funds and Programmes Division would like to inform that the first call for project proposals under the Interreg Italia-Malta VI-A Programme 2021-2027 is currently open and will close on 4th April 2024. This call has a total ERDF budgetary allocation of around €27 million and focuses on a number of priorities including research and innovation, the protection and preservation of nature, social capital through the role of culture and sustainable tourism, and better governance. The partnership must be made up of at least one partner from Sicily and one partner from Malta. Please refer to the call text to see the eligible NUTS3 statistical regions. For Maltese partners, the ERDF funding covers 80% of the partner's eligible expenditure. The type of eligible beneficiaries depends on the specific objective. Further details about the call may be found by scanning the QR code: An information session in relation to this call shall be held on Monday 11 th March 2024. Kindly note that the attendance will be on a first come first served basis. The agenda for this meeting, including location and further details shall be provided in the coming weeks. Please register your attendance by scanning the QR code: The Territorial Cooperation Unit may be contacted as follows: Email: territorialcoop.fpd@gov.mt Telephone: +356 25552604 OVER 180 requests are still pending for students currently waiting for a learning support educator (LSE) in school with them. The situation has concerned MaltaCAN, the umbrella of 14 independent organisations ad- vocating for children's rights, which made an urgent appeal to education authorities, poli- cymakers, stakeholders, and un- ions to reconsider policies that are contributing to the segrega- tion of children on the autism spectrum. "We are deeply troubled by the escalating segregation of chil- dren on the autism spectrum in Malta. There is a disturbing trend of pushing children on the autism spectrum away from mainstream education, limiting their opportunities for inclusive learning experiences," a Malta- CAN spokesperson said. The organisation, which advo- cates for an inclusive education- al environment that embraces diversity and ensures equal op- portunities, believes certain ac- tions by unions, coupled with school policies are exacerbating the problem. "Directives that restrict learn- ing support educators from working with specific students target vulnerable individuals, ef- fectively pushing them out of the school system. "This is a serious concern when taking into consideration the 180 pending applications from students who are currently wait- ing for a learning support educa- tor," MaltaCAN said. A lack of data and research in- to the current situation has also underscored the urgency of ad- dressing the issue. MaltaCAN says several chil- dren on the spectrum are cur- rently not attending school or were being actively pushed out of their school. "We are speak- ing out after receiving several re- ports from parents and encoun- tering these problems firsthand. Parents of children on the autis- tic spectrum have highlighted the lack of resources and train- ing across schools." The Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability also spoke about the need for more learning support educators (LSEs) and more training for ed- ucators in the area, among oth- ers. In Malta there are over 4,200 students who have been issued with a statement of needs: 1,473 have a full-time LSE and another 2,729 have a shared LSE. The Union of Professional Edu- cators (UPE) this week said LSEs employed at state resource cen- tres were themselves suffering the absence of standard operat- ing procedures and protocols. UPE executive head Graham Sansone said LSEs were at occu- pational risk and burdened with unnecessary legal responsibili- ties. "Specifically, tasks related to personal support and trans- port lack official guidelines, cre- ating anxiety and fear among ed- ucators who are left to perform these duties without proper di- rection," Sansone said. "The omission of essential procedures, such as feeding stu- dents with specific conditions, toileting and personal hygiene protocols, and transport-relat- ed guidelines for students with disabilities, exposes educators to potential health risks and le- gal repercussions. The reliance on individual judgment leaves them vulnerable to accusations of negligence or abuse, as there are no clear directives on how to carry out these critical responsi- bilities." Sansone said the absence of authoritative guidelines in these crucial areas highlighted the need for a change in the industrial rep- resentation of LSEs. "While other countries have established stand- ards for similar duties, Malta lags behind despite its inclusive edu- cation policy and formal job de- scription for educators." The UPE also complained of a lack of adequate facilities, equip- ment, and provisions for LSEs: "Many schools lack proper toi- leting and hygiene facilities for disabled students, forcing LSEs to work in unsuitable conditions. Additionally, LSEs are not pro- vided with protective equipment and hygienic material, often having to purchase these items themselves. This places a finan- cial burden on LSEs and raises concerns about the overall policy failure in providing essential sup- port." Parents troubled by escalating segregation of autistic students