Parents of 12-year-old Ramona-Shae Thorpe, who was denied access to public education due to her brittle bone condition, are breathing a sigh of relief today as the government says the payment will cover their child’s school fees and ease their transition to higher education after the Jamaica Observer highlighted their plight.

Ramona-Shae’s mother, Sasha-Gaye Wood, expressed her gratitude for the help days after last week’s post.
Market Observer She said her daughter had been denied access to multiple public schools in St James and had failed to enroll in the Program for Advancement through Health and Education (PATH), causing them to struggle financially to send her to private school.

“I want to express my gratitude for giving us the opportunity to tell our story,” he said. Market ObserverHe added that the support he has received since the story was published has been overwhelming.

At three months old, her daughter was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition that causes her bones to break easily and requires her to use a wheelchair or walker to move.

Since the story was published, the Department for Education, Skills, Youth and Information, through its Special Education Unit (SEU), has committed to meeting the outstanding balance of $140,000 towards tuition fees at the private school where Thorpe is currently based. sixth grader. The government body said this was standard practice after a student was placed in private schools by the ministry.

He added that transferring to another school at this time could disrupt Ramona-Shae’s learning experience.

“The mother stated that the child does not need a one-to-one assistant (shadow) during this period. However, we are preparing to provide this support if needed if the child moves on to high school at the end of the sixth grade. Special arrangements will also be provided to address the student’s Primary Exit Profile (PEP) seating and placement needs.”
Market ObserverHe added that SEU remains committed to the ongoing development, expansion and transformation of special education programs and services.

Wood also shared that he is in dialogue with PATH representatives and is in the process of submitting a new application.

“This is like a breath of fresh air,” a grateful Wood said.

Observer I met Ramona-Shae last month while on a field trip to Gordon House in downtown Kingston. At the time, he called on Prime Minister Andrew Holness to build more ramps to improve access to the Parliament building after experiencing difficulty using the stairs to get inside.

The 12-year-old also expressed gratitude for the support his parents will receive, adding that he is more relaxed now.

“I feel good because I don’t have to worry about anyone helping me get around or anything. “I won’t have to ask anyone for extra help,” he said about his transition to high school.

“I’m glad they are aware that some people are not as lucky to have certain things and they are helping us,” she added, expressing hope that other children facing similar challenges will get the help they need.

His mother made a similar call, saying that there were many families in a similar situation and in need of help.

“I hope other kids can benefit from the attention Ramona-Shae is getting now without having to go through the same process we went through. Going through the comment section (on Observer‘s instagram In the post about the story), I see people with disabilities say their parents are going through similar things as them. I see where these people are successful, they’ve finished college, and so I would like to see other kids that have the ability to learn so that they don’t get stigmatized,” Wood said.

“I hope that children with disabilities are not stigmatized and can have the opportunity to receive a fair education so that they can be successful in the career choices they want,” he said.

Wood also called on those in government agencies who interact with the public regularly to provide more descriptive information when contacting parents seeking help for their children.

“I wish they had explained to us as parents our other options instead of giving us an empty ‘No’. “Outline the options and explain them to us, because not all of us are educated enough to understand this,” he said.

The Ministry of Education said SEU was designed to create access, equity and quality educational opportunities for students with special needs. The Ministry currently covers the educational costs of 720 students with special needs in private schools through an established Memorandum of Understanding that includes 18 private special education facilities. This increases access to 88 public bodies or grant-making charities across the country.

The ministry also included public and private facilities in the country’s education system at the infant, primary and secondary levels, noting that 106 institutions in seven regions offer special education services, some of which offer services to students up to the age of 21.

It was also stated that schools have been sensitized to understand how best to accommodate students with special needs, and more than 22 schools in Region Four, which includes the parishes of Hanover, St James and Westmorland, have access ramps.

It was also stated that placement assistance and intervention support opportunities are offered to students with special needs through the regional offices of the Ministry of National Education and SEU.

It is said that for the 2024-2025 academic year, SEU placed 195 students in private schools with tuition fee support, while many students were allowed to be placed in public schools through regional special needs coordinators.

Twelve-year-old Ramona-Shae Thorpe (right) and her mother Sasha-Gaye Wood stop for a photo at the top of the steps of Gordon House in downtown Kingston during a school trip to the parliament building. (Photo: Llewellyn Wynter)