China Headlines: Better special education for disabled to help equality

Global Times

30th November 2015

China Headlines: Better special education for disabled to help equality

China is looking to improve special education as more than 80,000 disabled children lack access to schooling.

The Ministry of Education released the figure in an evaluation report of the national mid- and long-term educational reform and development guidelines (2010-2020) as it works to help disabled people integrate into society.

Special education in China is far from enough. Nearly 600 counties with populations below 300,000 in remote and ethnic minority areas do not have any schools providing special education.

Compounding the problem, the number of disabled students joining classes in regular schools is shrinking, preventing social integration.

EQUAL RIGHTS

In some parts of China, special education schools have been changed to regular schools by local educational departments, who say the number of disabled students is too small and schools for regular education are inadequate.

The report said a shift of attitude is required by some local governments who do not attach great importance to special education, considering it tantamount to philanthropy instead of valuing the inherent rights of disabled children.

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/955674.shtml