INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN CAMBODIA: PRACTICES AND INITIATIVES;

2nd Annual Forum of SEAMEO Member countries and Associate Member; Danang City, Viet Nam, 18-20 October, 2011

Mr. Un Siren, Vice Chief of Special Education Office (SEO),

Primary Education Department (PED)Ministry of Education Youth and Sport (MoEYS)

Kingdom of Cambodia

Outline

I-International and

National Standards and

Policy Framework

II-Ministry Initiative and

Provisions

III-Best Practices

IV-Challenges

V-Future Directions

VI-Conclusion

I-International and National Standards and Policy Framework

International context:

Royal Government of Cambodia is signatory to

and has expressed support for:• 2008 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons

with Disabilities (UNCRPD)• 2006 Bangkok Statement on Achieving Rights-

based

• 2003 Biwako Millennium Framework for Action• 1994 Salamanca Statement on Special Needs

Education Education for All by 2015

In Cambodia includes all traditionally excluded and vulnerable groups, such as girls, poor children, children from ethnic and linguistic minorities, children with disabilities, children living in remote areas, and orphaned, sick or trafficked children etc.

National Policy Framework:

Constitution Education Law, 2007 Law on the Protection and the Promotion

of Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2009 National Policy and Master Plan on

Education for Children with Disabilities, 2008/2009

National Plan of Action for Persons with Disabilities, including Landmine Survivors 2009

Education Law

Article 39 (Rights of disabled learners) states that disable learners have the same rights as able learners and have separate special rights:

Disabled learners of either sex have the right to study with able learners if there is sufficient facilitation in the study process

Disabled learners who are not able to learn with able learners, even with facilitation, have separate special classes at community schools in their locality.

Law on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Ministry of Education should encourage disabled students to be in regular education classrooms and integrated classrooms (Article 28) and students with appropriate supports (Article 29)

II-Ministry Initiative and Provisions• CFS Policy was approved in March, 2007• School Mapping Policy was approved in 2007• Policy was approved in March, 2008• Master Plan was approved in September,

2009

-National Policy on Education of CWD, 2008

Increase awareness and acceptance of disabilities among communities, relevant institutions and stakeholders

Provide early identification and intervention to all children with disabilities from birth to five years

Provide quality education, life skills for disabilities equitably and effectively

Increase enrollment, promotion and survival rates in schools

-National Plan of Action for Persons with Disabilities,

including Landmine Survivors 2009 (NPA)

NPA for PWDs, Landmine

Survivors was approved in 2009

(Part 4: Psychological support and social reintegration) Raising communities awareness of

disabilities Improving access for CWDs in schools Teachers/trainers training on Inclusive

Education Inclusive educational services for deaf

and blind Increase the uptake of sport by PWDs

Provision: Integrated Classrooms

Extent of Inclusive in Schools

Special Education Services

Limited educational services for children with disabilities began in mid-1990s as special schools

All run by NGOs

Rabbit School

Focus on integrated and inclusive classes instead of special schools through teachers training

Awareness-raising and dissemination of information on inclusive education for children with disabilities

Media campaigns on disability awareness raising and prevention: brochures, TV, radio spots and P posters

III-Best Practices

Prevalence study for identification and referral of out of school children, including children with disabilities.

Determine prevalence of out of school children, including CWDs

Develop systematic process of data collection in EMIS for planning purposes

Focus on Inclusive and Integrated Classes through Teacher Training

Training teachers on basic IE Developing specialized curriculum with NGOs

IV-Challenges

Critical shortage of teachers in regular education affects availability of qualified teachers trained in inclusive education or in specialized courses

Limited financial resources: Some schools either have no ramps or accessible toilets or the ramps are not built to universal design specifications.

V-Future Directions

Specialized courses

Systematic identification and referral of CWD

Awareness-Raising and Attitude Change

VI-Conclusion

Some constraint: Families cooperation Shortage of resources High number of PWDs

Ministry strategies: IE programReaching the un-reachedCollaboration

Inclusive Education in Cambodia: Practices and Initiatives