The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) welcomes the passage of Senate Bill No. 1907 on Inclusive Education which will enhance further the right to education of children, particularly those with disabilities.
In a statement dated Sunday, June 6, the CHR thanked the senators for the passage of the bill on second reading and expressed hopes that it would be enacted into law. It described the bill as “monumental move for learners with disabilities.”
The bill proposed that “no learner with disability shall be denied admission and inclusion in any public or private early or basic education school in the country to afford such learners with equitable opportunities to educational services and programs."
The CHR said the bill, if it becomes a law, will help normalize the idea that learners with disabilities, just like the rest, need to be prepared to live as fully-functioning members of society.
The proposed legislation mandates the Department of Education, in cooperation with local government units, to establish and maintain at least one Inclusive Learning Resource Center (ILRC) in all cities and municipalities, as well as the conversion of special education centers into ILRCs.
It also seeks to provide teachers with ample training on inclusive education and the creation of instructional materials fit for learners with disabilities.
The CHR said the government bears the responsibility to comply with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which the Philippines ratified on 15 April 2008.
It said it will work relentlessly to ensure that the dignity and human rights of everyone, including Persons with Disabilities, are always protected and promoted.
In 2017, CHR has released an advisory that seeks to guide the government in fulfilling the right to education of Persons with Disabilities.
It said the public can access the advisory through https://chr.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Right-to-Education-of-Persons-with-Disabilities-CHR-A2017-003-1.pdf.