INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: THE PHILIPPINE PERSPECTIVE

Dr. YOLANDA S. QUIJANO Undersecretary of Programs and Projects Department of Education Philippines

OUTLINE

General Information on Inclusive Education Facts and Figures, Policies, Strategies for Disadvantaged Learners: Children with Disabilities, IPs, Muslim Children, Street Children, Abused children Current Difficulties and Challenges Lessons Learned Proposed Initiatives/Recommendations

GENERAL INFORMATION on INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Abused children

FACTS and FIGURES

Children with disabilities who are in school are about 101, 762 (2011-2011). Children with disabilities are still combating educational exclusion 97.3 % of them are still unreached. About 5,916 are mainstreamed in regular classes

Facts and Figures

Children of Indigenous peoples number about 12-15 million across the country. These are spread in seven ethnographic areas with 117 ethno-linguistic groups. Those in the elementary schools total 639, 483 while 158, 550 are in the secondary schools (2010-2011).

Facts and Figures

140,570 Muslim elementary and secondary pupils are attending ALIVE (Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education) in public schools

Facts and Figures

Street children are about 246, 000 thousand75% are children on the streets; 25% are children of the streets; 70 % are boys Working children are growing in number Number of abused children is being tracked down

EDUCATION POLICIES

The right to education is a basic human right. All children and youth shall have access to quality education. Inclusive education shall be concerned with all learners, with focus on those who have traditionally been excluded from educational opportunities. Support system shall be organized and delivered holistically.

PUBLIC POLICY SUPPORT on INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

The 1987 Philippine Constitution P.D. 603 - The Child and Youth Welfare Code RA. 7610 Special Protection of Children against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act R.A. 7277- The Magna Carta for Disabled Persons amended by R.A 9442 Policies and Guidelines in Special Education

PHILIPPINES ADOPTS INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTS on INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child (1989) World Declaration on Education for All (1990) UNESCO Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action (1994)

INCLUSION DEFINED

Reaching out to all learners Addressing and responding to diversity of needs of all children, youth and adults Involves changes and modification in content, approaches, structures and strategies

STRATEGIES in INCLUSIVE EDUCATION for DISADVANTAGED LEARNERS

The program, curriculum, learning materials, facilities, equipment

CHILDREN WITH DISABILITES

Education system has full responsibility to ensure right to education It is equipped and ready to handle diversity through:

Assessment
Support System

Flexible modified curriculum , teaching and learning methods Adaptation Augmentation Alteration

Remediation/ enrichment
Involvement of peers, parents and the community
Flexible teaching methods with innovative approaches to teaching aids, and equipment assistive devices and learning resources Responsive, child-friendly environment Professional environment working deliberately and actively to promote inclusion for all

PROCESS of INCLUSION

PHILIPPINE MODEL of INCLUSION

1.

Partial mainstreaming towards inclusion - students are educated in regular classes at least half the day - receive additional help or specialized services - pull-out

2.

Full mainstreaming or inclusion - complete regular instruction - receive all special services in general classroom

SUSTAINING PROGRAMS for CHILDREN with DISABILITIES

Establishment of 276 Special Education Centers nationwide Provision of SPED items Downloading of funds

Sustaining Programs for Children with Disabilities

Conduct of training programs for teachers handling children with various disabilities Conduct of training for school heads and supervisors Development of instructional materials for children with disabilities

Sustaining Programs for Children with Disabilities

Conduct of advocacy strategies like the SPED caravan in regions and divisions without SPED centers or without SPED programs

Sustaining Programs for Children with Disabilities

Implementation of various intervention programs, like: Early Intervention Transition program Headstart program

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES EDUCATION

Policy actions To provide access to quality basic education To ensure the preservation, recognition, promotion and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples to ancestral domain, cultural identity and heritage Objective: The National IP Education Policy Framework operationalized in all schools

Indigenous Peoples Education Activities

Launching of the Philippines Response to Indigenous Peoples and Muslim Education (PRIME)- a facility for IP and ME Conduct of implementation planning activities for the national, & regional clusters Celebrating IP month in October

MADRASAH EDUCATION for Muslim Children

Policy action: To provide acess to quality education To ensure the preservation, recognition, promotion, and protection of the rights of Muslim learners to religious identity and heritage Objective: Institutionalization of the Madrasah Education Program at all levels in basic education

Madrasah Education for Muslim Children

Development of Madrasah Currriculum for Kindergarten (Tahderiyyah) Implementation of the Madrasah Curriculum in the elementary level Development of the Curriculum in the secondary level Professionalizing the Asatidz through the Accelerated Teacher Education Program now on its fourth cycle

STREET CHILDREN EDUCATION

Enhancing the implementation of the Kariton Klasrum project in partnership with the Dynamic Teen Company Street educator, Efren Penaflorida awarded by CNN as Hero of the Year Conducting stock-taking activities in selected sites that will implement the program

EDUCATION for CHILDREN SEXUALLY ABUSED

Institutionalization of Personal Safety Lessons in both elementary and secondary schools nationwide On-going training of trainers for the basic education levels Coordination with the agencies to ensure the welfare of the sector

ALTERNATIVE DELIVERY MODES for DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN

MISOSA- (Modified In-School and Off-School Approach for elementary) Open High School Program for secondary

Distance Learning Modular learning On-line learning Home-based learning

Alternative Delivery Modes in pictures

Alternative Delivery Modes in pictures

Alternative Delivery Modes in pictures

CURRENT ISSUES and CHALLENGES

Increasing the holding power of schools over these children Making existing resources and other support systems adaptable and suitable to the needs of inclusive education

Current Issues and Challenges

Mobilizing parents and other duty bearers in supporting inclusive education Providing post-school support to fully integrate and enable disadvantaged children to participate in gainful employment or productive work.

LESSONS LEARNED
Social, Economic, and Financial Aspects

SOCIAL BENEFITS

a.

b.

Creates positive social and attitudinal changes in both regular and disadvantaged chidren such as: Reducing and eliminating prejudices against disabled children Improving self-concept or self-esteem

Social Benefits
Growth in social cognition d. Encouraging greater participation in social progress Challenge Inclusion may result in overcrowding and lowering of quality of education
c.

ECONOMIC BENEFITS

Leads to higher participation rate, cohortsurvival or completion rate There is higher simple and functional literacy rates. There is higher employment participation rate. Enable children to become independent and productive in later years

CHALLENGES

Inclusion education entails additional resources over and above those provided to regular schools. Per pupil cost is relatively higher than the regular pupil.

PROPOSED INITIATIVES/RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Ensuring education through early learning intervention 2. Rationalizing the establishment of more centers: special education centers, community centers, drop-in centers 3. Capability building for teachers of diverse learners at pre service levels 4. Adopting equivalency, testing and acceleration programs to diverse learners

Inclusion means:
I ntegration N etworking C ollaboration L iving, learning, loving U tilizing all available resources S upport and social services I mplementation of appropriate programs O rganization of appropriate services N on stop services to all

The challenge for educators is to find ways of sharing expertise and provide wider educational opportunities for the full implementation of inclusive education.

Maraming Salamat!