Inclusive Education in the Philippines

What is Inclusive Education?

    Inclusive education means all children are in the same classrooms, in the same schools. It means real learning opportunities for groups who have traditionally been excluded - not only children with disabilities but speakers of minority languages too.

    According to UNICEF (2020), inclusive systems value the unique contributions of all backgrounds bring to the classroom and allow diverse groups to grow side by side, to the benefit of all.

    Moreover, UNESCO & IBE (2020), states that inclusive education is seen as a process of addressing and responding to the diversity of needs of all learners through increasing participation in learning, cultures, and communities, and reducing exclusion from education and from within education. The goal is that the whole education system will facilitate learning environments where teachers and learners embrace and welcome the challenge and benefits of diversity. Within an inclusive education approach, learning environments are fostered where individual needs are met and every student has an opportunity to succeed.

    Inclusive learning provides all students with access to flexible learning choices and effective paths for achieving educational goals in spaces where they experience a sense of belonging. In an inclusive education environment, all children, regardless of ability or disability, learn together in the same age-appropriate classroom. It is based on the understanding that all children and families are valued equally and deserved access to the same opportunities.

    In striving to educate as many children as possible and with limited funds to build a separate special education infrastructure to cater to the needs of children with disabilities, inclusive education was officially adopted in 1997 by the Department of Education in the Philippines as a viable educational alternative (Inciong & Quijano, 2013).

The ABCs of Inclusive Education

A - All children, regardless of ability or disability, learn together in the same age-appropriate classroom.

B - Based on the belief that all children are valued equally and deserve access to the same opportunities.

C - Children with disabilities, and those without, often achieve greater gins in inclusive classrooms.

Inclusive Curriculum as Described under the IRR of RA 10533 (K-12 Curriculum)

Section 8. Inclusiveness of Enhanced Basic Education

    In furtherance of Section 3 of the Act, inclusiveness of enhanced basic education shall mean the implementation of programs designed to address the physical, intellectual, psychological, and cultural needs of learners, which shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following:

1. Inclusive education shall mean the implementation of programs designed to address the physical, intellectual, psychological, and cultural needs of learners, which shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following: Programs for the Gifted and Talented; Programs for Learners with Disabilities; Madrasah Program; Indigenous Peoples (IP) Education Program; Programs for Learners under Difficult Circumstances;
2. Inclusion describes the process by which a school accepts children with special needs for enrolment in regular classes where they can learn side by side with their peers. The school organizes its special education program and includes special education teachers organizing and implementing appropriate programs for both special and regular students.

8.1. Programs for the Gifted and Talented

These shall refer to comprehensive programs for gifted and talented learners in all levels of basic education. 

8.2.  Programs for Learners with Disabilities 

These shall refer to the comprehensive programs designed for learners with disabilities which may be home-, school-, center-, or community-based.

8.3. Madrasah Program

This shall refer to the comprehensive program using the Madrasah curriculum prescribed by the DepEd, in coordination with the Commission on Muslim Filipinos, for Muslim Learners in public and private schools.

8.4. Indigenous Peoples (IP) Education Program

This shall refer to the program that supports education initiatives undertaken through formal, non-formal, and informal modalities with emphasis on any of, but not limited to, the key areas of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices and community history; indigenous languages; Indigenous Learning System (ILS) and community lifecycle-based curriculum and assessment; educational goals, aspirations, and competencies specific to the Indigenous Cultural Community (ICC); engagement of elders and other community members in the teaching-learning process, assessment, and management of the initiative, recognition and continuing practice of the community ILS; and, the rights and responsibilities of ICCs.

8.5. Programs for Learners under Difficult Circumstances

This shall refer to the timely and responsive programs for learners under difficult circumstances, such as but not limited to geographic isolation; chronic illness; displacement due to armed conflict, urban resettlement, or disasters; child abuse, and child labor practices.