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Part 1 Asia

This report is based on the responses received from the eight Asian countries which submitted their completed Education questionnaires prepared by the Education Task Force Coordinators as part of the Regional NGO Network initiative on the evaluation of the Decade. A total of twenty countries received the questionnaire but the eight countries which responded were Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Viet Nam. It must also be pointed out here that a few respondents were uncertain about their own local situations and in some instances, their feedback based on their NGO background was therefore unclear and incomplete. Nevertheless, the report attempts to summarise the achievements of these eight countries on the following areas which reflect the different issues contained under the Education policy objective of the Agenda for Action concerning the Decade.

1. Existing legislation or policy mandating compulsory education for all children including children with disabilities.
   All eight countries have a policy mandating compulsory education for all children although in two countries (Pakistan, Mongolia) children with disabilities were not included in it.

2. Data collected on the number of people with disabilities. Data available on number of children with various disability categories.
   Three countries (Pakistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan) have conducted a national survey to identify the population of persons with disabilities. However, one other country (Indonesia) has data on the population of children with disabilities attending school including their various disabling conditions.

3. Access to education. Provision and types of educational services for children with disabilities. Percentage of children with a disability attending any form of school.
   All eight countries indicated that children with disabilities have access to education, provided by government and NGOs. Two countries (Sri Lanka, Viet Nam) have already adopted the inclusive education approach while another five countries (Indonesia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan) have planned to introduce this approach. The percentage of children with disabilities attending any form of school is unknown in most of these countries.

4. Provision of Early Intervention services for infants and young children with disabilities.
   All eight countries have provided an early intervention program for infants and young children with disabilities. In Thailand, children with disabilities have been provided with early intervention services starting at birth under the National Education Act B.E. 2542 (1999).

5. Teacher training to prepare teachers to teach children with diverse abilities and disabilities.
   Seven countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam) are currently providing pre-service and in-service teacher training programmes in special education to prepare teachers to work with children with disabilities. There is no teacher training program to prepare teachers to teach children with disabilities in Mongolia.

6. Inclusive education Policy. Inclusion of children with disabilities in all national policies, plans and programmes towards the implementation of Education For All (EFA).
   As mentioned previously, two countries (Sri Lanka, Viet Nam) have already adopted the inclusive education approach while another five countries (Indonesia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan) have planned to introduce this approach. However, the Education For All initiative has been made known to all the countries. In Thailand, the Ministry of Education has established a strategic plan to ensure the rights to quality education of all Thai persons with disabilities. It is also worth noting here that EFA initiative has gained greater awareness and attention in Asian countries.

7. Progress made in providing education for children with disabilities in the past 10 years, 1993-2002.
   All eight countries commented that significant progress in the education of children with disabilities in their respective countries gained significant momentum and achievements during the last decade. Special education by special schools were being established, mainstreaming of capable students with disabilities into regular schools encouraged, early intervention programmes promoted, special education policies formulated, and in-service as well as pre-service training for teachers implemented.

In Indonesia, a lot of special schools have been established so their number has dramatically increased from 899 schools in 1993 to 1300 schools in 2001. The enrolment of children with disabilities in special school has also increased from 38,616 children in 1993 to 49,483 children in 2001.
Malaysia has progressively reduced the drop-out rate of children with disabilities by at least 50 per cent in 2000.
In Pakistan, National Task Force on disabilities has been developed to streamline special education. A five year Plan for program formation and implementation has been taken up by the Planning Commission in consultation with the Provincial Government.
In Viet Nam, the educational provision for children with disabilities has significantly progressed in the past ten years. There were about 15,000 children with disabilities who attended special school in 1993 and were mainly deaf and blind, but there are now 60,000 children with disabilities who attend special schools, special classes and regular schools.
In Thailand, the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons 1993-2001 has brought many significant changes in the lives of persons with disabilities. Thailand has attained the level of enacting the National Education Act B.E. 2542 (1999) which includes the provision of educational services for children with disabilities.

Part 2 Pacific

This report is based on the responses received from eight Pacific Island countries which submitted their completed Education questionnaires prepared by the Education Task Force Coordinators as part of the Regional NGO Network initiative on the evaluation of the Decade. A total of fourteen countries received the questionnaire but the eight countries which responded were Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu. It must also be pointed out here that a few respondents were uncertain about their own local situations and in some instances, their feedback based on their NGO background was therefore unclear and incomplete. Nevertheless, the report attempts to summarise the achievements of these eight countries on the following areas which reflect the different issues contained under the Education policy objective of the Agenda for Action concerning the Decade.

1. Existing legislation or policy mandating compulsory education for all children including children with disabilities.
   Australian states, Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea and Samoa have specific and separate special education policy to address the educational needs of children with disabilities while Fiji although does not have such a policy, has incorporated this issue under its Education For All National Plan as well as the Special Education Blueprint. Palau, Tonga and Tuvalu have no policy provision at present.

2. Data collected on the number of people with disabilities. Data available on number of children with various disability categories.
   While all eight countries stated that they have data on persons with disabilities, most do not know the percentages of each disability grouping. Cook Islands because of its small population is the only country which has conducted a national survey to identify its population of persons with disabilities with the support of Inclusion International Asia/Pacific Region. Australia, Fiji and Samoa have data on the population of children with disabilities attending school including their various disabling conditions. Samoa is currently conducting a national disability survey to identify the number of adults with disabilities in that country. Fiji on the other hand is planning to conduct a national disability survey under the leadership of the Fiji National Council for Disabled Persons and funding from the Government. It is worth mentioning here that Inclusion International Asia/Pacific Region is embarking on an initiative to assist several Pacific Island countries to undertake a national disability survey to identify their population of persons with disabilities like Kiribati, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands.

3. Access to education. Provision and types of educational services for children with disabilities. Percentage of children with a disability attending any form of school.
   All eight countries indicated that children with disabilities have access to education which are provided mainly through special schools settings as well as regular schools. Australia, and Palau have adopted the inclusive education approach while Fiji is mainstreaming some of its students with visual, hearing and physical disabilities into regular schools. The percentage of children with disabilities attending any form of school is unknown in most of these countries except for Cook Islands, Palau, Samoa and Tonga with 49.5%, 95%, 81.5% and 60% respectively.

4. Provision of Early Intervention services for infants and young children with disabilities.
   Whilst early childhood intervention services had been promoted in the Pacific Islands region in the 90's through various initiatives such as those undertaken by AUSAID and Pacific Islands Council for Blind Persons, countries like Australia, Fiji, Palau, Papua New Guinea and Samoa seem to have regular and effective programme at present. Cook Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu indicated that early intervention services are not available in their countries while Fiji in particular has an early intervention special school.

5. Teacher training to prepare teachers to teach children with diverse abilities and disabilities.
   All eight countries are providing teacher-training programmes to prepare teachers to work with children with disabilities witch is compulsory for all trainees. Australia, Fiji, Palau, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu also offer specialist teacher-training programmes in special education.

6. Inclusive education Policy. Inclusion of children with disabilities in all national policies, plans and programmes towards the implementation of Education For All (EFA).
   Australia, Cook Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tuvalu have already implemented inclusive education policies in their education programmes while Fiji and Tonga have yet to adopt such policy. However, the Education For All initiative has been made known to all the countries and Fiji has specifically included the education of children with disabilities in its EFA national plan. It is also worth noting here that EFA initiative has gained greater awareness and attention in most Pacific Island countries through UNESCO initiative. Only Tonga indicated that they have not implemented EFA policy.

7. Progress made in providing education for children with disabilities in the past 10 years, 1993-2002.
   All eight countries commented that significant progress in the education of children with disabilities in their respective countries gained significant momentum and achievements during the last decade. Special education special schools were being established, mainstreaming of capable students with disabilities into regular schools encouraged, early intervention programmes promoted, special education policies formulated, and in-service as well as pre-service training for teachers especially in overseas countries implemented. Palau noted that in 1994, the Interagency Team for Children with Special Needs was established to assist in providing necessary health, social, and environmental assistance to ensure success in education. In 1997, schools began to provide access in schools for physically impaired children through fully accessible walkways, bathrooms and classrooms. In Samoa, the Compulsory Education Act was passed in 1992/93 whereby children between 5 and 14 years must attend school. The Department of Education published its Policies and Strategies 1995-2005 where special education and early childhood education are treated as priority areas. Special education training for Samoan teachers were made available in 1998 through the National University of Samoa. Tonga however highlighted the increased participation of its children and adults with disabilities in its educational and sports programmes. Papua New Guinea cited the impact of adopting and implementing its special education policy in 1994 resulting in the establishment of a national special education office, a National Special Education Committee, creation of special education lecturers and inclusion of special education courses at all Primary Teachers' Colleges, and establishment of 11 special education resource centres around the country. Tuvalu emphasised that whilst its Education For Life programme included education provisions for all children up to the age of 15 which in turn encouraged children with special needs to attend regular schools, financial resources remained the main constraints in providing the necessary infrastructure and training of staff. Fiji on the other hand noted the drafting and trialing of a special education curriculum, the introduction of special education courses at the three primary teacher training colleges and at the University of the South Pacific, as well as the formulation of a special education blueprint as major highlights in the education of its special needs students during the decade.