Tynwald to consider setting up dyslexia committee

A petition calling for the move was presented on Tynwald Day in July

Tynwald will be asked to set up a committee looking into education provision for young people with dyslexia after an MHK backed a petition calling for the move.

Petitioner Julia Bell called for the change in July and said "current educational practices do not meet the needs of students with specific learning differences".

In November's sitting of the court, Rob Callister MHK will ask for a committee to be appointed to investigate the idea.

He said he hoped the move could lead to additional staff and teacher training, more support and guidance for parents and early intervention to identify the condition.

According to the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) one in 10 people in the UK has the condition, which can affect a person's ability to read, write and spell, as well as their speech, memory and coordination.

If backed, a committee of three members would look into Ms Bell's proposal and examine how many pupils have dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and dyspraxia and the current provision in place for those affected.

Mr Callister has also asked that no member of the Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC) or Treasury should sit on the committee, which would publish a report by next April.

Ms Bell (second from right) was joined by a group of campaigners to present the petition in July

The Onchan MHK said supporting the petition was an issue "very close to my heart" after living with the condition and "struggling with it" as a child.

He said the Island Plan, the government's roadmap, outlined "a vision that includes an education system that supports everyone, that has got to be across the board".

"Giving children the best start may also have long term benefits for the whole island because it gives them the perfect platform to go on and have a very successful career and life," he added.

Ms Bell said she was "optimistic" the committee could lead to changes, such as more screening assessments, that would "make a real difference" to families.

The government has been contacted for a comment by the BBC.