NEGLECTED SECTOR
Creation of bureau for special kids urged
By Philip Tubeza
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 07:06:00 03/12/2010
Filed Under: Children, Education, Disabled, Legislation, Government offices & agencies
MANILA, Philippines—With only two percent of Filipino children with special needs getting government support, the Department of Education (DepEd) is pushing for the creation of a Bureau of Special Education (BSE) to attend to their needs, outgoing Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said Thursday.
Lapus said the proposed bureau would help not just children with special needs (CSN) but young persons with disabilities (PWD), pointing out that in other countries they received “100-percent state support.”
“We believe the creation of a specific unit to take care of the unique needs of special children is urgent,” said Lapus in a statement.
He said that while CSNs and PWDs comprised a minority, they remained a significant part of the children’s population.
Gifted children
Based on school year 2004-2005 estimates, there were 5.49 million CSNs in the Philippines, or 13 percent of the children’s population. Of the number, an estimated 4.2 million were PWDs while 1.27 million “were gifted children,” Lapus said.
Only around 15,000 of these children were enrolled in school year 2004-2005, however. But the number represented an 88-percent increase since school year 1995-1996 when enrollment was only around 8,000, he said.
To improve the situation, Lapus said he supported Senate Bill No. 2020, which mandates the creation of at least one special education (Sped) center in each school division (one for each of the 17 regions) and up to three centers in the big school divisions.
He asked Malacañang to certify the bill as urgent.
The Senate bill has been approved on second reading, while its counterpart in the House of Representatives has been approved on third reading.
“Most people have not yet recognized that certain CSNs or PWDs have very distinct talents and skills. And their integration and mainstreaming into society will contribute significantly to national development,” Lapus said.
Defining special kids
Children with special needs are those who have autism, have other mental problems, are visually or hearing-impaired, are orthopedically or physically handicapped, learning-disabled, speech-defective, have behavior problems, and those children that encounter health problems under the formal educational system.
“All CSNs, irrespective of the degree of sensory, physical or intellectual disability or needs, will have the opportunity to be educated in the most educationally enhancing environment consistent with the provision of a quality education that best meets their needs,” the Senate bill reads.
Under the proposed law, special day care centers will be put up near existing Sped centers with the support of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The bill provides for special instructional materials which may be transcribed into Braille, large-type print or audio tape without having to pay penalties or royalties.
The bill also allows private institutions participating in the programs to avail of tax breaks and loans, technological and scientific assistance.
It provides for a P600-million yearly budget for five years for the Sped program, while a separate P20 million yearly from the President’s Social Fund and the Philippine Gaming Corp. will finance the creation and operation of the BSE.
