Pupils with disabilities are being denied support as schools struggle to deal with social distancing rules, the commissioner for the rights of persons with disability has claimed.

Oliver Scicluna said teachers who usually provide help for children with visual or hearing impairments have instead been redeployed to cover extra classes due to COVID-19 bubbles. 

Early intervention services that help very young children with developmental disabilities have also been affected, he said. 

Under social-distancing protocols, children are kept in the same group - or bubble - to help curtail the spread of the virus. 

Scicluna said that while he appreciated the need for extraordinary measures during the pandemic, they should not be to the detriment of students who require specific support.

“Such services cannot be viewed as secondary services but as essential mechanisms for particular students," he said.

"In this regard, the commission urges the responsible authorities to re-evaluate the situation to provide the necessary support to all of its students, as is their right.” 

Teachers providing services should not be used to mitigate teacher shortage within mainstream schools, he said. 

The commission, Scicluna said, is committed to rendering Maltese society an inclusive one, in a way that persons with disability reach their full potential in all aspects of life, enjoying a high quality of life thanks to equal opportunities.

In fulfilling this mission, it works to eliminate any form of direct or indirect social discrimination against persons with disability and their families while providing them with the necessary assistance and support.