SDO Bohol has already established SpEd centers ready to cater to learners with special education needs. According SDO Bohol Education Program Supervisor (EPSvr) Evelyn Codilla, few districts in SDO Bohol have no SpEd classes.
Schools Division Superintendent Casiana P. Caberte took the lead in providing an orientation to the public schools district supervisors (PSDSs) on the concepts of Republic Act 11650: Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Service for Learners with Disabilities in Support of the Inclusive Education Act. The two-day activity was conducted on July 9-10, 2024, at Reyna’s Haven, Tagbilaran City. This was attended by the fifty-eight PSDSs and the fifty-eight District Special Needs Education (SNEd Coordinators).
The State will take the necessary actions to ensure that everyone has access to high-quality education in accordance with its policy of protecting and promoting that right at all levels. Its goals are to ensure that no learner with a disability is denied access to an inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education and to opportunities for lifelong learning. It will also acknowledge, defend, and advance the rights of all learners with disabilities, including those who are members of linguistic, ethnic, or religious minorities or people of indigenous origin. (RA 11650). Emphasized during the orientation, SDS Caberte is positive that SDO Bohol teaching, teaching-related and non-teaching personnel are willing to extend services to all Boholano learners.
The participants were actively involved with the different activities introduced by the facilitators. They even made these commitments: provide a learning environment that maximizes the holistic development of learners; provide support services for LWDs that shall be anchored on the principles of universal participation for equal and equitable educational services, and recognition of diverse learners, provide educational assistance that facilitate learners with disabilities to pursue primary and secondary as well as vocational and technical education in both private and public schools; provide an environment where all learners learn together, wherever possible, regardless of any difficulties or differences they may have, and endeavor to make all schools inclusive; inclusion shall be implemented immediately in the primary level and throughout the basic education program; and foster a cooperative and collaborative process among teachers, school leaders, parents, and concerned specialists from other disciplines for the learners’ development and well-being.
As part of the culminating activity, each district is required to prepare a plan of action with the different components to ensure the proper implementation of the concepts in RA 11650.
