Deped Inclusive Education: Its Policy, Framework and Implementation

INTRODUCTION

Throughout the years across the sphere of human activity, numerous fields, areas
and systems in our daily life existence were affected that rocked by issues and controversies.
One of them was pertains about education. The aspect of education that has been trembled
by controversies which trigger with different issues. Therefore, government take leads to
stand out in order to manage closely the importance of quality and relevance in a well-known
fields especially the educational setting.

The presence of inclusive education were highly contributes to the department's

commitment in terms of quality, equitable, culture-based, and comprehensive basic education
that is based on the department's mandate to protect and promote the right of every citizen to
such education services. The principle of inclusion encourages institutional sensitivity and
responsiveness to the nature, situation, and realities of our country's learners and directs the
department to address these proactively through curriculum and other interventions.
Likewise, inclusive education is a policy perspective realized through the development and
implementation of learner-centered and context-responsive programs. In regard with this,
policy framework is being adopted to provide an overall framework for curriculum
implementation for programs that directly promote inclusive education, as well as to ensure
that every aspect of the DepEd curriculum support system, across the department’s
governance levels is responsive to the needs and demands of diverse learners.

All individual learners can learn together in the same classroom with an inclusive
approach to education. Disability is one of the leading causes of exclusion in schools. There
are also other barriers to inclusive education, such as social, material, and behavioral issues.
Right actions, activities, and resources are needed to help certain countries strengthen their
capacity to plan for inclusive education that meets the needs of all students. While millions of
children around the world are denied the opportunity to learn, people with sensory, physical,
or learning disabilities are twice as likely as their peers to never attend school. To make
inclusive education a reality, all learners must be reached by eliminating all forms of
discrimination. The Department of Education (DepEd) has prioritized addressing educational
issue, ensuring that every learners or children receive appropriate education in a regular or
inclusive classroom setting. Inclusive education embraces the philosophy of accepting all
children regardless of race, size, shape, color, ability, or disability, with support from school
staff, students, parents, and the community.

As a major issue in the Philippines is the short-sighted policy of sacrificing education

quality and quantity for economic reasons. Whereby, the Department of Education (DepEd)
is charged with protecting and promoting every Filipino citizen's right to a quality education
that allows each learner to reach their full potential and meaningfully contribute to nation-
building. In 2019, the Department of Education (DepEd) issued DepEd Order No. 21, titled
Policy Guidelines on the K to 12 Basic Education Program, which includes an inclusive
education policy framework. This framework promotes the right of every Filipino to a basic
education that is of high quality, equitable, culturally relevant, and comprehensive. The main
goal of this educational program that recognize the diversity of the country's learners,
schools, and communities is to realize this constitutional right under K-12 curriculum.

In response, K to 12 has broadened the goals of basic education to diverse realities of

learners and their families by providing a wider range of options not only in preparing them
for higher education, but also for opportunities in employment and entrepreneurship. K to 12
also adhere to promotes the implementation of programs that address the various physical,
intellectual, psychosocial, and cultural needs of learners in a variety of contexts. These
programs are based on inclusion, which is a core principle of the Enhanced Basic Education
Program (DepEd Order No. 43, s. 2013). The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12
years of basic education (six years of primary education, four years of Junior High School,
and two years of Senior High School (S) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts
and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education. To ensure
that learners have access to the K to 12 basic education program, curriculum
contextualization, adaptations, and modifications are made depending on the learner’s
abilities and needs.

Under the supervision of DepEd, they implements several learning programs along
with the core principle of the K to 12 Basic Education Program which puts premium on
“inclusivity.” These programs are based on international legal and standard-setting
instruments such as the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child (1989), World
Declaration on Education for All (1990), 2007 UN Declaration on the rights of the
Indigenous Peoples, and the Education 2030 Framework for Action.

The inclusive education policy of the DepEd aims to standardize the procedures for
identifying, assessing, and providing programs for all learners who require additional support
to improve their participation and inclusion in school, with teachers and parents at the center
of the support processes. The successful implementation of the policy will be a significant
step toward meeting the government's obligations to ensure an inclusive education system at
all levels, as well as the rights of people with disabilities.

BODY

Many of the Filipinos care about education because they think it's important for trying
to lift individuals out of poorness, living a successful life, and making advancements for the
country's economic progress and industrial development. This value of education is enshrined
in the country's core principle, the Philippine Constitution of 1987 (Republic of the
Philippines). Article XIV, Section 1 states that "the State shall protect and promote the right
of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such
education accessible to all," that either includes the rights of disabled people or students with
special needs, particularly the deaf. Along with this organization, the Republic Act (Republic
Act 7277, 1991), also recognized as the Magna Carta for disabled people, was implemented,
which propagated into unique governed laws and policies to protect disabled people.
verify the rehabilitation, self-development, as well as independence of disabled people or
students with special needs (Ebol, 2000). Furthermore, the latter clarified the concept of
special education (SPED), which was later shifted to inclusive education in the country's
schooling institutions. (Jose W. Diokno - https://www.change.org/p/senate-of-the-
philippines-and-house-of-representatives-of-the-philippines-enact-a-law-establishing-
special-education-centers-in-public-schools-for-children-with-special-educational-
needs)

Every people in the Philippines special needs account for approximately 5.486 million
(13%) of the 84.4 million Filipinos. Around 4.8% receive proper instructional services, but
95.2% of those with additional needs do not.10 From 1995 to 1996, approximately 80,000
with special needs children enrolled. During the year 2000, youngsters and adolescents made
up half of the 80 million Filipinos. 12% of these children and youth have special learning
needs, with 2% gifted learners and 10% disabled. Only 2.6%, or 136,523 of the over 5
million children with special needs, received proper educational services. This could explain
why there is such a high percentage (97.4%). CSNs who are not receiving or seeking suitable
learning services.  they observe that many of these parents believe that no matter everything
they do to support their children, they will end up as panhandlers when they grow up.
Thereby, Dr. Capulong emphasized the importance of orienting parents to the initiatives or
providing them with the opportunity to understand how the SPED program can benefit their
disabled children. This apart from academic programs, the children require therapy to
alleviate anxiety leading to negative stereotypes and to keep them from becoming active and
psychologically displaced. http://www.nise.go.jp/kenshuka/josa/kankobutsu/pub_d/d-228/d-
228_18.pdf.

The Department of Education has provided spending because of its special

educational intervention and plans to open new centers this school year in terms of reaching
out to more children with special education needs. Education Secretary Armin Luistro
announced that the nation has allocated 56% more resources for SPED than those in the past,
allotting P180 million this year versus P115 million last year. DepEd further plans to open 69
new SPED centers this school year, bringing the total number of specialized learning centers
to 345. SPED centers provide education for young kids as well as those with learning
disabilities. The centers hire highly trained teachers who do use teaching techniques aimed at
maximizing the knowledge acquisition of students with special needs.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/173037/deped-widens-reach-of-special-education-program

The Center for Inclusive Education serves as the primary inspectorate for students
with special needs at the University of Makati and throughout the City of Makati. The
commonly referred students' overall development through suitable tertiary education and
reinforced collaboration between all parties involved. The center's critical goals are for our
graduates to be fully integrated into society, to be proud of what they have accomplished, and
to be a member of our city's progress. https://www.umak.edu.ph/node/265

The progress of technology has also an impact on key accomplishments in many

fields. It had no relationship with both the decline in the community of children with special
needs more particularly in educational needs of learners. That anyway, the expected
development of civilization to repress the occurrences of births with physical and/or mental
obstacles may not be able to withstand the "growth" incidents of children with special needs,
especially in cases of autism. Children with special needs urgently require special education
services in order to reach their full potential. It is difficult to maximize the potential and
capacity of children with special needs. Appropriate supporting resources, such as specific
learning facilities, special learning professionals and non-academic treatment, a student-
friendly environment, operational costs, and others, are required. If the requirement for the
expenses of education of children with special needs is estimated collectively, the output that
the process produces in quantity is insignificant and unstable by the amount of cost spent.
Based on these presumptions, policymakers who lack a strong commitment rarely prioritize
child education. such as special needs possibilities, since this productivity commitment of
students with special needs isn't as good as that of normal child efficiency. Whichever the
factors, the availability of student with special needs in the community requires them to have
the same rights to a great education as other typical kid. This actively demonstrate that,
education is the only effort required for children with special needs to assist themselves and
make adjustments to their surroundings (Efendi, 2017). As a result, as more children with
special needs receive the correct educational services, it will result in an increasing
population of children with special needs who are skilled in adjusting and helping
themselves. As a result, this condition has a direct effect on the reduction of maintenance
costs for them all their lives. Addition significant effect is the increasing number of children
with special needs who are educated and skilled, which indirectly increases self-esteem and
dignity as a nation (Efendi, 2006). The presence of children with special needs in small or
large groups of the community still carries a negative stigma. They spontaneously assign
certain labels to the individuals identified in the category simply by looking at certain
temporary physical and behavioral conditions.
https://www.slideshare.net/MariaMarthaManetteMadrid/vision-policy-goal-and-objectives-
of-special-education-in-the-philippines

Talking about the academic standards, including those identified in such abnormal
categories necessitates accurate data, particularly from families, experts, or the children part
of individual, physical and mental indicators identified as "visible abnormalities" are
immediately a verdict for labeling someone in a special needs category. However, accurate
information is still required to reach these conclusions, which is explored through the
assessment. Sometimes, clinically or empirically, someone identified appears to be facing
certain challenges, but the disorder is minor and does not necessitate special education
services, so he is not classified as a child with special needs.
file:///C:/Users/acer/Downloads/dela-fuente.pdf

Indigenous children number between 12 and 15 million across the country. There are
117 ethno-linguistic groups spread across seven ethnographic areas. There are 639, 483 in
elementary schools and 158, 550 in secondary schools (2010-2011). 140,570 Muslim
elementary and secondary students attend ALIVE (Arabic Language and Islamic Values
Education) in public schools. There are approximately 246, 000 street children- 75% are
children on the streets; 25% are children of the streets; and 70% are boys. A huge proportion
of abused children are being managed to track down. The benefit of education may be an
essential human right. Most children and teenagers must have got high-quality instruction.
Comprehensive education concerns all learners, with specific accentuation on those who have
customarily been avoided from instructive openings. The bolster framework must be
organized and conveyed in an all-encompassing way.

https://www.google.com/search?
q=inclusive+education+framework+in+the+philippines&sxsrf=ALiCzsZhOkd8K1twtMXdq
Y1qGUiL88N2Dw:1668261656676&ei=GKdvY5_4KMn8wAOI57eYAg&start=40&sa=N&
ved=2ahUKEwif5MD75qj7AhVJPnAKHYjzDSM4FBDy0wN6BAgBEAs&biw=1366&bih=
657&dpr=1

Amended by the Republic Act No. 11650, this act instituting a policy of inclusion and
services for learners with disabilities in support of inclusive education, establishing inclusive
learning resource centers of learners with disabilities in all school districts, municipalities and
cities, providing for standards, appropriating funds therefore, and for other purposes.

https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2022/ra_11650_2022.html

Throughout all academic settings, inclusive education epitomizes the dedication to

include and serve every child (Richler, 2012). According to Opertti and Brady (2011), an
inclusive education system at all levels is one that responds towards the diversified, specific,
and unique characteristics of each learner, particularly those who are at risk of 4. Below
similar concepts of contexts and provisions, marginalization and low achievement. As a
result, instead of requiring the student to adapt to the teaching, the teaching is adapted to the
student (Suleymanov, 2015).

https://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7770&context=utk_graddiss

An inclusive school system encourages positive educational outcomes for students, regardless
of disability (Robo, 2014). These effective outcomes can be achieved when there is a system-
wide improvement in educational quality by helping to improve the Teachers' efficiency,
learning-centered methodologies, appropriate textbooks and learning materials, and
guaranteeing that schools are safe and healthy for all (Robo, 2014, p. 200). Inclusive
education necessitates a commitment to identifying the student's abilities by creating
engaging educational programming that lowers learning obstacles. Involvement is concerned
with all children and young persons in schools; it is centered on presence, ability to
participate and accomplishment; inclusion and marginalization are connected together, such
that inclusion involves the active combating of exclusion; and involvement is seen as a never-
ending process. As a result, inclusive education should be constantly evolving, with the
objective of educating all children around each other (Ainscow et al., 2013, p. 6).

CONCLUSION

Many children around the world are excluded from schools where they belong due to
disability, race, language, religion, gender, and poverty. But every child has the right to be
supported by their parents and community as they grow, learn, and develop in their early
years, and to go to school and be welcomed and included by teachers and peers alike when
they reach school age. Everyone benefits when all children, regardless of difference are
educated together, and it will serve as the cornerstone of inclusive education for all diverse
learners.

Inclusive education under the supervision of DepEd places all children in the same
classrooms and schools where real learning opportunities for groups that have traditionally
been excluded such as children with disabilities and minority languages. The systems and
policy framework of inclusive education were value the unique contributions that students
from all backgrounds bring to the classroom and allow diverse groups to grow alongside one
another. Meanwhile, inclusive education is the most effective way to give all children a fair
chance to attend school, learn, and develop the skills they need to thrive.

As amended by DepEd in the Philippines in year 2019, the DepEd Order No. 21, titled
Policy Guidelines on the K to 12 Basic Education Program includes a policy framework on
inclusive education. This framework is highly philanthropic which promotes every Filipino's
right to a basic education that is in high quality, equitable, culturally relevant, and
comprehensive.

A successful inclusive school system ensures positive educational outcomes for

students, regardless of disability. These effective outcomes can be achieved when there is a
system-wide improvement in educational quality by helping to improve the Teachers'
efficiency, learning-centered methodologies, appropriate textbooks and learning materials,
and guaranteeing that schools are safe and healthy for all. Inclusive education necessitates a
commitment to identifying the student's abilities by creating engaging educational
programming that lowers learning obstacles. Whereof, inclusive education and its
involvement in school and learning is extremely important. Furthermore, it should be
constantly evolving with the objective of educating all children for the benefits of all.
REFERENCES