INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: ALL ARE WELCOME

NIÑO M. LAMPA

Inclusive education means a multi-faceted concept that encompasses the celebration and value of variety and diversity, as well as human rights, social justice, and equity concerns that opens real learning opportunities for those individuals who have been traditionally excluded (UNICEF,2021). Around the world, according to opensocietyfoundatuions.org, children are excluded from schools where they belong because of disability, race, language, religion, gender, and poverty. But every child has the right to be supported by their parents and community to grow, learn, and develop in the early years, and, upon reaching school age, to go to school and be welcomed and included by teachers and peers alike.

Schools may improve the implementation of inclusive education by providing trainings for teachers on proper implementation of inclusive education; strengthening the advocacy campaign to broaden the knowledge of stakeholders about inclusive education to increase budget allotment from LGUs for inclusive education; promoting the overall well-being of learners, which includes the learning environment; designing appropriate programs, projects and activities for diverse learners anchored on the curriculum; and by providing special education (SPED) teachers, assistant teachers or shadow teachers to help the regular or general education teachers in handling diverse learners, including learners with disabilities or difficulties. When all children, regardless of their differences, are educated together, everyone benefits—this is the cornerstone of inclusive education.

The author is Teacher

-oOo

III at San Pedro Saug Elementary School, Lubao, Pampanga