The Call for Special Education Legislation in China
Education for the disabled has improved since the start of reform and opening-up in China. However, legislation on special education still lags behind international standards. In this year's session of China's top legislature, one deputy issued a proposal calling for laws on this field to be enacted. Our reporter Shuangfeng has more.
Reporter:
Yuan Jinghua is the principal of a special school for the deaf and mute in eastern China's Shandong Province.
As a deputy to the National People's Congress, Yuan Jinghua has issued a proposal to create laws concerning special education, along with several suggestions about employment for disabled people.
"It is because special education and compulsory education are now mixed together that we are not guaranteed funding. They should be separated. Otherwise, it will cause problems, because investment in compulsory education does not equal investment in special education. We should have a separate law for special education."
The latest population census showed that the number of disabled people in China exceeds 82 million, accounting for over six percent of the total population.
A series of laws and regulations have been made to safeguard their right to education. However, there is no specific law concerning special education in China.
Associate professor Wang Jingbo from the China University of Political Science and Law said legislation on special education has become imperative.
"Legislation on special education is very necessary. The call for this was heard years ago. Many organizations, like the China Disabled Persons' Federation, have been promoting legislation in this regard. Boosting special education through legislation could be effective. It's also very urgent."
China's Ministry of Education has made efforts to regulate special education across the country. Education Minister Zhou Ji said special education has been given top priority.
"One important task is to promote the development of all kinds of education. Special education, preschool education, and education for ethnic minorities have all been given equal attention. They all need to be well-developed."
Associate professor Wang Jingbo mentioned several problems that need to be solved along the way.
"Special education needs far more funding than ordinary education. The government needs to take effective measures to safeguard the building, resources, and teaching quality of the special schools. Without powerful actions to ensure implementation, laws would be meaningless."
NPC deputy Yuan Jinghua's school charges little or no tuition fee for children with disabilities. Some of them come from poverty-stricken areas, or single-parent families, and some are even orphans.
Although the school is facing problems due to lack of funding, Yuan Jinghua says she is seeing more and more care from the government and society.
"As for what I am doing, we have received more and more care and support from the government. Our government is focusing more on the livelihood of the people. The whole society is also caring more for the disadvantaged groups. The future is going to be better. "
Shuangfeng, CRI News.