CHR urges lawmakers to expedite passage of inclusive schooling invoice
Philstar.com
November 18, 2021 | 8:43 pm
MANILA, Philippines – The Human Rights Commission on Thursday called on Congress to accelerate the passage of a bill to ensure equal opportunities for learners with special needs.
The establishment of services for learners with disabilities, Bil, has passed the final reading in both the Senate and the House of Representatives and is currently in the hands of a bicameral conference committee tasked with voting on various provisions.
If passed, it would mandate the establishment of resource centers for inclusive learning in each school district, additional inclusive training for teachers and the production of learning materials for learners with disabilities.
READ: Advocacy groups, civil society groups praise the Education Act for Learners with Disabilities
“We hope that the bicameral conference committee will soon conclude the deliberations on the bill to be passed before the Congress is adjourned,” said CHR spokeswoman Jacqueline de Guia. The Upper Chamber is currently busy with its work on the 2022 budget.
De Guia, however, stressed the urgency of the matter, pointing out that most of the 5.5 million learners with disabilities in the country have limited access to public education, citing figures from the Ministry of Education.
“The educational situation of learners with disabilities has been exacerbated by the challenges of the pandemic,” she said. “They are counting on the Inclusive Education Act to keep up with the new educational landscape as we gradually move towards the new normal.”
“More importantly, the aforementioned law enables learners with disabilities to reach their full potential and have equal access to opportunities so that they are not left behind in these rapidly changing times,” she added. – Bella Perez-Rubio
