Gatchalian: Utilize Child Find System to increase enrollment of learners with disabilities

Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to roll out the Child Find System (CFS) to increase the number of enrolled learners with disabilities.

Gatchalian made this call after the DepEd revealed that it is targeting to increase enrollment among learners with disabilities. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture has been emphasizing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on learners with disabilities, with enrollment level this school year still far from pre-pandemic levels.

There are 93,895 learners with disabilities enrolled for School Year 2021-2022, 74% lower than the 360,879 enrolled for School Year (SY) 2019-2020. The DepEd also reported a decline in the number of schools where learners with disabilities are enrolled. From 21,270 in SY 2019-2020, the number went down to 13,408.

Child Find was first instituted under DepEd Order No. 72 s. 2009 to locate children with disabilities. Under Republic Act No. 11650 titled "Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act," the CFS is defined as a system of identification, location, and evaluation of all learners with disabilities who are not receiving basic education services. The CFS seeks to locate learners who are not more than 24 years old to facilitate their inclusion in the general basic education system.

Gatchalian is the sponsor and co-author of Republic Act No. 11650, which the President signed last month.

The new law provides that the CFS will be implemented by Inclusive Learning Resource Centers of Learners with Disabilities (ILRCs), which will provide support services for learners with disabilities and implement various inclusive education programs. The law mandates DepEd to coordinate with local government units to initially establish and maintain at least one ILRC in all cities and municipalities.

Republic Act No. 11650 also provides that all public and private schools shall ensure equitable access to quality education to every learner with disability, such that no learner shall be denied admission on the basis of disability.

"Kailangan nating paigtingin ang paghahanap natin sa mga kabataang may kapansanan upang hindi sila mapag-iwanan sa pagkakaroon ng magandang kinabukasan," said Gatchalian.

Gatchalian: Hikayatin ang mas maraming mag-aaral na may kapansanan na magbalik-eskwela

Hinimok ni Senador Win Gatchalian na paigtingin ang pagpapatupad ng Child Find System (CFS) upang mapataas ang bilang ng mga rehistradong learners with disabilities o mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan.

Ipinanawagan ito ni Gatchalian matapos ihayag ng Department of Education (DepEd) na balak nitong taasan ang bilang ng mga rehistradong mag-aaral na may kapansanan. Matatandaang binigyang diin ng Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture ang pinsalang dulot ng COVID-19 sa mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan, lalo na't mas kakaunti pa rin sa kanila ang nakapag-enroll kung ihahambing sa bilang na naitala bago tumama ang pandemya.

Halos siyamnapu't apat na libong (93,895) mga mag-aaral ang naka-enroll para sa School Year (SY) 2021-2022, mas mababa ng pitumpu't apat na porsyento sa mahigit tatlong daang libong (360,879) naitala noong SY 2019-2020. Ayon sa DepEd, bumaba rin ang bilang ng mga paaralang may mga learners with disabilities. Mula sa mahigit dalawampu't isang libong (21,270) naitala noong SY 2019-2020, bumaba ito sa labintatlong libo (13,408).

Unang ipinatupad ang Child Find sa ilalim ng DepEd Order No. 72 s. 2009 upang mahanap ang mga kabataang may kapansanan. Sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 11650 na pinamagatang "Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act," ipapatupad ang CFS upang matukoy kung sinu-sino at masuri ang mga kabataang may kapansanan na hindi nakakatanggap ng edukasyon. Ang mga mag-aaral na hindi tatanda sa dalawampu't apat (24) na taong gulang ang kabilang sa sistema ng edukasyong ito.

Si Gatchalian ang sponsor at isa sa mga may akda ng Republic Act No. 11650 na pinirmahan ng Pangulo nitong nakaraang buwan lang.

Sa ilalim ng bagong batas, ang CFS ay ipapatupad ng mga Inclusive Learning Resource Centers of Learners with Disabilities (ILRCs). Ang mga ILRCS ay magbibigay ng mga libreng support services sa mga mag-aaral na may kapansanan at magpapatupad ng mga programa para sa inclusive education. Ang DepEd ay dapat makipag-ugnayan sa mga lokal na pamahalaan upang magtayo ay magpatakbo ng hindi bababa sa isang ILRC sa lahat ng lungsod at munisipalidad.

Sa ilalim din ng Republic Act No. 11650, mandato sa mga pampubliko at pribadong mga paaralan na tiyaking bawat mag-aaral na may kapansanan ay makakatanggap ng dekalidad na edukasyon. Ayon pa sa naturang batas, walang mag-aaral ang mapagkakaitan ng pagkakataong makapag-aral dahil sa kanyang kapansanan.

"Kailangan nating paigtingin ang paghahanap natin sa mga kabataang may kapansanan upang hindi sila mapag-iwanan sa pagkakaroon ng magandang kinabukasan," ani Gatchalian.