Reply: With regard to pre-primary schools operating under the Grant-in-Aid (GIA) Scheme, I wish to inform the House that no specific provision has been made for the engagement of carers in these private pre-primary schools. However, it is important to note that each GIA school is entitled to one Assistant Teacher for every 15 children. These Assistant Teachers provide support to the main teacher in managing the classroom, including attending to children with Special Education Needs (SEN). As far as the Early Childhood Care and Education Authority (ECCEA) pre-primary units are concerned, I am informed that, to date, 87 children with Special Education Needs have been enrolled across 27 ECCEA schools. In the absence of a provision for Assistant Teachers in ECCEA units, the services of 27 carers have been enlisted on a day-to-day contract basis to support teachers in addressing the specific needs of these children. It is worth highlighting that the post of carer does not exist on the establishment of the ECCEA. Moreover, there are currently no trained carers specifically for SEN children available on the labour market. I further wish to inform the House that the Grant-in-Aid Scheme in pre-primary schools and Special Education Needs (SEN) schools was implemented in January 2024. Given the increasing demand for the admission of SEN children, particularly those aged 3 to 5 years with autism and the fact that the Special Education Needs Authority (SENA) provides services only for children aged 5 and above, the ECCEA had to adopt an alternative recruitment strategy.

131 Accordingly, the Authority contacted training institutions such as True Academy, Organisation Mondiale pour l'Éducation Préscolaire (OMEP), Bethléem, Hansraj Health Training Centre Limited (HHTC), the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE), the University of Technology, Mauritius (UTM) and the Mauritius Institute of Training and Development (MITD), which offer Caregiver courses, to obtain a list of trained or in-training candidates. Suitable candidates from among them were then engaged on a day-to-day basis. The daily allowance paid to carers is Rs526.13, in addition to travelling expenses. Although the ECCEA has no formal Scheme of Service for carers, the carers are called upon to inter-alia – 1. ensure the safety of the SEN child; 2. change diapers; 3. feed the SEN child, and 4. accompany child in daily classroom activities. With the continuous increase in the number of SEN children being admitted, especially those with autism, the ECCEA has identified the need for 13 additional carers to meet the growing demand. I wish to reassure the House that this Government remains firmly committed to promoting inclusive education at all levels, starting from early childhood. We will continue to support children with SEN and ensure that their learning environment is safe, nurturing, and conducive to their development and well-being. LAND DRAINAGE MASTER PLAN – DOCUMENT PUBLICATION