
The chairman of the Transylvania Autism Association (AAT), Milena Plum, said Tuesday in a press conference that this unit will teach by learning methods first time used in Romania, following a collaboration with a school of the same profile from UK.
"The first school in Romania for children suffering from autism will open this fall in Cluj-Napoca and will operate with 7 classes, 6 pupils each, so there will be a maximum of 42 pupils. There will be pre-school and elementary grades, from kindergarten up to the IVth grade, while the teaching methods used will be a national premiere, following a collaboration with a school of the same profile in the UK, who will oversee the entire educational process. The school will be endowed with rooms for speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, music therapy, " Plum said.
According to her, until the beginning of the school year 2013-2014, training courses for prospective teachers will be organized.
The school will operate within the premises of AAT in Cluj-Napoca, and the program will be from 8.00-16.00.
Also, the school will also operate a sensory garden which will be arranged in the school’s backyard.
"Through this project, the children will have access to a range of stimuli that make learning more effective. Children will plant along with specialists fruits, vegetables, they will have a water playground and a picnic, so that they be stimulated at auditory, olfactory, tactile, gustatory levels. This is a method whereby people with autism who have a sensory deficit can learn very well, " Plum said.
The school will be established on the grounds of a public-private partnership between the AAT and the Cluj County Council, through the Centre for Inclusive Education of the institution.
The schooling is free of charge, children will be selected by the County’s Centre for Resource and Educational Assistance of the County School Inspectorate (CSI) Cluj, and parents are expected to announce this center, dealing with children's pre-school orientation.
"They will have to state that their children suffer from autism, because this is a school dedicated solely to children with autism, and from this center they will be directed toward us. Children will be assessed, there will be a contingency plan so as to be ready at the beginning of the school year," ATA chairman said.
Milena Plum specified that school teachers will come from public schools and will be specially trained to teach children with autism, they are to be paid by the Cluj County Council, and each class will be assigned a specialist in disorder therapies paid by the AAT.
In 2012, in Cluj County more than 400 children were diagnosed with autism disorders.