Gatchalian: Prioritize effective implementation of 'Inclusive Education Law' for learners with disabilities
December 3, 2022
Gatchalian: Prioritize effective implementation of 'Inclusive Education Law' for learners with disabilities
Amid the celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the administration to ensure that learners with disabilities are not left behind in the education sector's recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gatchalian said this entails the effective implementation Republic Act No. 11650 or "Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act," which he sponsored during the 18th Congress.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education likewise reiterated the urgency of increasing enrollment among learners with disabilities, which remained far from pre-pandemic levels as of last school year. Based on the Department of Education's data as of March 14, 2022, there were 126,598 learners with disabilities enrolled in DepEd schools for School Year (SY) 2021-2022, 65% lower than the 360,879 recorded for SY 2019-2020.
During the budget deliberations for the 2023 national budget, Gatchalian pushed for the allocation of funding for DepEd's Special Education program to ensure that learners with disabilities will receive support. To ensure that all regions in the Philippines will have a model Inclusive Learning Resource Center (ILRC) for Learners with Disabilities, Gatchalian proposed to increase the budget of DepEd's capital outlay for SPED from P96 million to P160 million.
Gatchalian also vowed earlier this year that he will move for the conduct of regular and conscientious oversight of the law's implementation. Pursuant to the law's policy of inclusion, Gatchalian said he wants to see all public and private schools ensuring equitable access to quality to every learner with disability, such that no learner shall be denied admission on the basis of disability.
Under Republic Act No. 11650, ILRCs are mandated to implement inclusive education programs and deliver free support services to learners with disabilities, including language and speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical and physiotherapy, provision of qualified sign language interpreters, and other similar services, aids, and actions that facilitate the learning process.
The lawmaker added that in the long run, the government should meet the target to build at least one ILRC in every school district, city, or municipality, which the DepEd shall build in coordination with local government units.
Gatchalian: Tiyaking napapatupad ang Inclusive Education Law para sa mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan
Sa gitna ng pagdiriwang ng International Day of Persons with Disabilities ngayong Disyembre 3, hinimok ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang administrasyon na tiyaking hindi mapag-iiwanan ang mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan sa pagbangon ng sektor ng edukasyon mula sa pinsala ng COVID-19.
Ani Gatchalian, kinakailangan ang epektibong pagpapatupad ng Republic Act No. 11650 o ang "Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act."
Ayon sa Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, mahalagang maitaas ang enrollment rate ng mga learners with disabilities na nananatiling mas mababa sa naitalang bilang bago tumama ang pandemya. Ayon kasi sa datos ng Department of Education (DepEd) noong Marso 14, 2022, may 126,598 na mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan ang nag-enroll sa mga paaralan ng DepEd para sa School Year (SY) 2021-2022, mas mababa ng 65% sa 360,879 na naitala noong SY 2019-2020.
Sa pagtalakay ng panukalang budget ng bansa para sa taong 2023, isinulong ni Gatchalian ang pagkakaroon ng pondo para sa Special Education program upang suportahan ang mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan. Upang matiyak na bawat rehiyon sa Pilipinas ay may modelong Inclusive Learning Resource Center (ILRC) for Learners with Disabilities, iminungkahi ni Gatchalian na itaas ang pondo ng capital outlay ng SPED sa 160 milyong piso mula 96 milyong piso.
Nanindigan din si Gatchalian na isusulong niya ang regular at maigting na oversight sa pagpapatupad ng batas. Aniya, dapat tiyakin ng lahat ng mga pribado at pampublikong paaralan na walang mag-aaral ang mapagkakaitan ng edukasyon dahil sa kanilang kapansanan.
Sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 11650, ang mga ILRC ay may mandatong magpatupad ng mga programa para sa inclusive education at maghatid ng mga libreng support service sa mga mag-aaral, kabilang ang language and speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical at physiotherapy, probisyon ng mga kwalipikadong sign language interpreters, at iba pang mga serbisyo na makakatulong sa pag-aaral ng mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan.
Nais ding tiyakin ni Gatchalian na maaabot ng pamahalaan ang target na makapagpatayo ng hindi bababa sa isang ILRC kada school district, lungsod, o munisipalidad na itatayo ng DepEd sa pakikipagtulungan sa mga local government units.
