Parliamentary Committee to Review Support for Learning Differences

A parliamentary committee is set to examine the educational provisions for individuals with dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia. This initiative follows a petition presented to Tynwald in July, which contended that existing educational methods “did not meet the needs of students with learning differences”. MHKs Rob Callister and Ann Corlett, alongside Dawn Kinnish MLC, have been chosen to review the petition and submit a report on the provisions by May 2025. When presenting the petition in Tynwald, Mr. Callister stated that support for individuals with dyslexia had seen no improvement over the past decade, despite commitments made by various former ministers. He further asserted that these commitments had “failed to deliver the urgent support that parents, teachers, and individuals with dyslexia on the island have been advocating for”. Education, Sport and Culture Minister Daphne Caine commented that her department’s objective was to remove obstacles for all children and young people, noting that accessible software had recently been supplied to all schools. She also mentioned that parents receive regular updates on their child’s progress and that the department had pledged to conduct an additional educational needs review. Ms. Caine added that the department was “committed to “making changes within the resources available”” and advised committee members to “keep in mind” budget limitations. Dawn Kinnish stated that it was “time to manage” existing provisions and implement recommendations to assist individuals in “reach their full potential”. Paul Craine MLC pointed out that the department had attempted to create an additional educational needs code but was “unable to proceed” due to funding requirements. He suggested that while the committee was tasked with examining four specific conditions, a review of “broader, coherent additional needs provisions” would have been advantageous. Mr. Craine expressed his concern, stating: “If we focus on some additional needs, “my concern is that some others get pushed to the background and do not get the same level of support””. Claire Christian MHK remarked that the current focus appeared to be solely on schools, suggesting that further education settings should also be taken into account. Following the debate, Julia Bell, who had submitted the petition at the open-air ceremony of Tynwald, conveyed that the group was “so pleased with the outcome”. She expressed hope that the public would contribute evidence to assist the committee in identifying “what the barriers are”.