ROADTOWN Tortola BVI, October 10th, 2012  – The Acting Principal of the Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre Mrs. Vansittart Huggins has called for the inclusion of special needs students in mainstream activities as they celebrate their 40th Anniversary.

Under the theme, “Moving towards Excellence and Inclusion for the next Generation of Special Education” Mrs. Huggins in a GIS Report expressed her hope to see the school and its students advance beyond their present environment.

Speaking with the Department of Information and Public Relations she said, “We no longer want our children to be segregated. We want them to be included in all aspects of life,” she said, adding “Not only included at Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre, but also in the mainstream.”

Principal Huggins acknowledged that she has seen an improvement in public awareness as more children are now attending the school as opposed to staying at home.

“Parents are no longer hiding their children and leaving them at home. Children have a right to be educated and I am so happy that the public is now seeing that everybody, including children with special needs have a right to be engaged in education,” Principal Huggins said.

Mrs. Huggins said the message she wants to share with the public is that they should embrace inclusion as “No child should be left behind.” She said that while there is a need for this school, not every child that demonstrates a learning challenge should be sent to Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre and excluded from mainstream education.

“Yes we may need a school for children with severe challenges, but not all children with a challenge should be excluded from the mainstream education,” she said.

To mark the beginning of their 40th Anniversary celebrations, the school is asking the public to join them with a historic march from the former Fort Charlotte Children’s Centre, opposite the Queen Elizabeth’s II Park, to the school’s current location at John’s Hole this Friday, October 12 at 10 a.m.

Following the march, the students will open their Reading Garden with a theatrical presentation depicting the history of the school, from its inception to present standing.

Originally called the Fort Charlotte Centre, the Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre opened its doors on October 12, 1972 with the assistance of the British Red Cross with a total of six children. In 1998, the school relocated to John’s Hole where it was officially renamed after its first principal, Mrs. Eslyn Henley Richiez. The school presently cares for 20 differently-abled students, providing a wide range of social, educational and physical activities.

The Ministry of Education and Culture joins with the Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre in their 40th Anniversary Celebrations as they continue to “Create a Culture of Excellence.”

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