Inclusion or Exclusion? The Role of Special Tutoring and Education District Committees in Special Secondary Education Units in Cyprus

Abstract

The paper examines the role of the Special Tutoring and Education District Committee (STEDC) in moving children in, as well as out of, Special Secondary Education Units (SSEUs) in Cyprus. SSEUs were introduced as part of the effort to make mainstream education inclusive. By law, the STEDC is the body responsible for children with special needs attending these SSEUs, including the initial decision to place them in the system. To better understand the STEDC’s role, this paper performs a case study of two separate high school SSEUs in Cyprus.