STATUS OF EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

CARMEN REYES-ZUBIAGA

ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY AFFAIRS

PRESENTED DURING THE BENCHMARKING ON

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION 2012QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY, BRISBANE

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT PEOPLE WITH AUTISM COMPRISED 1% OF THE WORLD POPULATION

In the Philippines, there is no reliable data about disability statistics;

Using the world estimate, about 970,000 are living with autism; (based NSO 2010)

AUTISM SOCIETY PHILIPPINES

THE MOST ACTIVE NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED IN PROMOTING THE WELL BEING OF PEOPLE WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

WITH 57 CHAPTERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY COMPOSED OF PARENTS OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND ADULTS WITH AUTISM

PROCLAMATION 711 WAS ISSUED IN 1996 DECLARING THIRD WEEK OF JANUARY AS THE NATIONAL AUTISM CONCIOUSNESS WEEK

Celebrating Autism Consciousness Week in the Philippines

AWARENESS ON AUTISM HAS GROWN YET THERE IS A CLEAR DISAPARITY BETWEEN AWARENESS AND ACTION

WHILE PUBLIC EDUCATION HAS WELL MEANING OF GOOD INTENTION, IT IS BEING VIEWED AS A VICTIM OF POOR PRIORITIZATION IN BUDGET INFLATED WITH PORK BARREL AND RIDDEN WITH CORRUPTION

IF PUBLIC EDUCATION ALREADY RANKED LOW IN GOVERNMENT PRIORITIZATION, THEN CONSIDER HOW LOW IS SPECIAL EDUCATION IN PRIORITY….

(http://okasaneko.wordpress.com/2010/11/06/the-state-of-autism-in-the-philippines/)

PHILIPPINE LAWS THAT PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN:

- Constitution and Bill of Rights ;

“the State shall protect and promote the rights of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all”

and that “the State shall provide adult citizens, the disabled, the out-of-school-youth with training in civics, vocational efficiency and other skills.”

“the State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services available to all people at affordable costs. There shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women and children.”:

RA 232- Education Act of 1982,

enacted on September 11, 1982, mandates that “the State shall promote the right of every individual to relevant quality education, regardless of sex, age, creed, socio-economic status, physical and mental conditions, racial or ethnic origin, political or other affiliation. The State shall therefore promote and maintain equality of access to education as well as the enjoyment of the benefits of education by all its citizens.”

REPUBLIC ACT 7277- MAGNA CARTA OF DISABLED PERSONS OR AN ACT PROVIDING FOR REHABILITATION, SELF DEVELOPMENT AND SELF RELIANT OF DISABLED PERSONS AND THEIR FULL INTEGRATION INTO THE MAINSTREAM OF SOCIETY AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

SECTION 14. Special Education . The State shall establish, maintain and support a complete, adequate and integrated system of special education for the visually impaired, hearing impaired, mentally retarded persons and other type of exceptional children in all regions of the country. Towards this end, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports shall establish special education classes in public schools in cities, or municipalities. It shall also establish, where viable, Braille and Record Libraries in provinces, cities or municipalities. The National Government shall allocate funds necessary for the effective implementation of the special education program nationwide. Local government units may likewise appropriate counterpart funds to supplement national funds.

SPED CLASSES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CHILDREN WITH AUTISM IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

- LUMP TOGETHER WITH CHILDREN WITH OTHER TYPES INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

- MOST OF THEM WERE DIAGNOSED LATER IN LIFE DUE TO HIGH COST OF VERY FEW DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICIAN;

- LACK OF QUALIFIED SPED TEACHERS AND TEACHER AIDS WITH NOT ENOUGH TRAINING AND UNDERSTANDING OF SPED;

- LACK OF FACILITIES - ABSENCE OF FOLLOW UP PROGRAMS AFTER

SCHOOL

MANY PEOPLE WITH AUTISM HAD ALSO SUCCEEDED TO BECOME CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES

LIBRARIAN WITH AUTISM

DIVAS WITH AUTISM

MOST OF THEM CAME FROM PRIVATE SPECIAL SCHOOL, USUALLY COMMANDING VERY HIGH TUITION FEES THAT AN AVERAGE FAMILY COULD HARDLY AFFORD

THIS BOY WITH AUTISM IS NOW INCLUDED IN A REGULAR 6TH GRADE CLASS IN PRIVATE INTEGRATED SCHOOL…

PSYCHOLOGIST

TRAINED TEACHERS

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

PARENTS EDUCATION AND ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

WITH THE RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PHILIPPINES, EDUCATION HAS BEEN ONE OF THE PRIORITIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION. WITH K +12 PROGRAM THERE IS RENEWED PROMISE OF EDUCATION FOR ALL;

DPOS COMMITTED TO ARTICLE 24 OF THE UNCRPD ARE NOW LOOKING AT DISABILITY RIGHTS BUDGETING, WORKING WITH OTHER CSO IN ALTERNATIVE BUDGET LOBBYING

PARENTS GROUP ARE NOW SITTING WITH EDUCATORS AND TRYING TO INFLUENCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INCLUSIVE CURRICULUM FOR THE BENEFIT OF THEIR CHILDREN….

AT LEAST….THERE IS SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO….

WE HOPE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN!

THANK YOU!