Special needs schools

Special needs schools provide education on the primary and secondary level to children with severe learning and behavioural problems, mental and physical disorders and chronically ill children.

Since 1 August 2003, children attending special needs education are classified into four clusters:

• Cluster 1 comprises schools for visually handicapped children (blind and visually disabled children) and children who have an additional handicap;
• Cluster 2 comprises schools for deaf and hearing-impaired children, children with speech impediments and children who have an additional handicap;
• Cluster 3 comprises schools for physically handicapped children, children facing severe learning problems, chronically ill handicapped children and children who have an additional handicap;
• Cluster 4 comprises schools for children with severe behavioural problems, chronically ill children excluding physically handicapped children and education to children attending schools related to pedological institutions, i.e. institutions engaged in the study and treatment of children with mental disorders.