Experts needed to make Sped truly inclusive
Inclusive education is not just about placing children with disabilities in classrooms. It is also about ensuring that they receive the specialized support they need for them to thrive. As the principal of a school that offers special education (Sped) programs, I witness firsthand both the potential and severe limitations of our current system. Republic Act No. 11650, or the Inclusive Education Act, was meant to institutionalize a policy of inclusion, professionals, and resources, but the law remains largely theoretical than truly transformative.
Every day, our teachers do everything to accommodate learners with disabilities. But the reality is, we are inadequately capacitated, both in labor and resources. The shortage of specialists and Sped teachers makes it very difficult for us to provide every child with the individualized interventions they require. Worse, we know that there are many more children with disabilities who are not yet identified, thus remaining outside the system due to the lack of a comprehensive Child Find System.
At Pembo Elementary School, we cater to a growing number of learners with disabilities (LWDs) yet the resources remain stagnant. In the last school year alone, the Department of Education (DepEd) recorded 384,660 LWDs enrolled in both public and private schools nationwide. But this number is likely an underestimation, as many children with disabilities remain unidentified due to the lack of specialists and adequate screening programs.
The demand for Sped programs far outweighs the capacity of public schools to accommodate learners. Our wait-listed learners could reach to over a hundred, yet due to staffing and resource limitations, we can only accept around eight. Many children with disabilities are left without access to the education they need, forcing parents to either wait indefinitely, seek expensive private intervention, or, in some cases, give up altogether.
One of the biggest obstacles we face is the severe shortage of specialists. As mandated by law, an inclusive learning resource center (ILRC) should have a multidisciplinary team consisting of specialists: developmental pediatricians, psychologists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, to name a few. These professionals play an important role in assessing learners, and ensuring that interventions are appropriate and effective. However, in reality, the number of specialists in the country is alarmingly low. Parents wait for a long time for appointments with these doctors, delaying crucial interventions that could significantly improve a child’s learning trajectory. Without assessments, children are left in academic limbo, unable to access the proper support they need in school, thus making inclusive education an unrealistic goal for many students, especially those from low-income backgrounds.
Beyond medical specialists, we also face an exodus of Sped teachers due to poor compensation and working conditions. Many highly trained special education teachers leave the country for better-paying jobs abroad or transfer to private institutions, where they are offered better support and incentives. Public schools are struggling to keep up, and without enough Sped teachers, even existing programs suffer, let alone the expansion of ILRCs.
DepEd attempted to address the shortage of these medical professionals by assigning teachers as clinic teachers. However, these teachers only receive minimal training in basic life support and first aid. While they do their best, it is unreasonable to expect them to handle complex medical, psychological, and behavioral issues without proper medical training.
What needs to happen next? First and foremost, it is crucial to fully staff the multidisciplinary teams in ILRCs with the right people. A collaborative effort between the DepEd, the Commission on Higher Education, and the Department of Health is essential to increase the number of specialists and medical professionals to ensure that every Sped learner is given proper support and learning. A robust Child Find System needs to be implemented to accurately identify, assess, and document learners with disabilities. Without early detection, they miss the crucial intervention period that could significantly improve their learning and development.
The Inclusive Education Act is a landmark law and a big step in supporting children with disabilities. But without proper funding, specialists, and support systems in place, it remains an unfulfilled promise. As a principal, I see the urgency in these gaps every day: in parents who want their children to be admitted to the program; in teachers forced to play the role of medical professionals, and in students who are falling behind simply because they are not getting the support they need.
If we truly want an inclusive education system, we need more than policies on paper. We need action, funding, and most importantly, people who are trained and ready to do the job.
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Dr. Ryan Casiño De Una is the principal of Pembo Elementary School of Schools Division of Tapat. He is an active participant in consultation meetings of the Second Congressional Commission on Education on learner well-being and inclusion.
