ISINUSULONG ni Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada ang special education (SPED) program sa mga public at private elementary at high school sa buong bansa para sa mga children and youth with special needs (CYSN).
Sa Senate Bill 3002 o proposed SPED Act na siya ang principal author, iginiit ni Jinggoy na ang edukasyon ay dapat nakatutugon sa pangangailangan ng mga kabataan na makapag-aral partikular ang may developmental delay; intellectual disability; learning disability; speech defect; behavior problem; autism; visual, hearing, physical impairment; pati ang mga itinuturing na gifted.
Itinatakda ng panukala ang: 1) pagtatatag ng hindi bababa sa isang SPED Center sa bawat school division at tatlong SPED Center naman sa malalaking school division; 2) paglikha ng Bureau of Special Education (BSPED) sa ilalim ng DepEd at magpapatupad ng curriculum at iba’t ibang SPED program and teaching materials at magsasanay ng mga SPED teacher/instructor; 3) paglalaan ng sapat na pondo para sa epektibong implementasyon ng SPED program; at 4) pagtitiyak ng komprehensibong SPED program kasama ang kinauukulang atensiyong medikal, intervention, pangkalusugan at recreation ng mga CYSN. Ang SPED program ay ipatutupad sa pamamagitan ng pagtutulungan ng national government, local government units at private sector.
“Our government should fully support children and youth with special needs in their development as self-responsible, competent and productive citizens as well as in their active participation in social activities and functions. Ensuring accessible, quality education for them through the proposed Special Education Act is one important step toward this,” sabi ni Jinggoy.
Bibigyang-buhay aniya ng SB 3002 ang CYSN development na itinatakda ng ating Saligang Batas at mga international declaration tulad ng United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) at Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
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Hapy bday Pampa-nga Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales, Jr. (Oct. 27).