MANILA – The House Committee on Basic Education and Culture has urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to fully enforce the provisions of the Inclusive Education Act, saying learners with disabilities should not be placed in regular classrooms without the assessment and support required under the law.

During a committee hearing on the implementation of Republic Act No. 11650, Committee Chairperson and EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Roman Romulo said mainstreaming should be based on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) developed through Inclusive Learning Resource Centers (ILRCs), instead of being applied across the board.

“Under this law, dapat ang nangyari diyan, na-establish nang tama ang ILRC. Nandoon dapat yung multidisciplinary team, may assessment na magaganap doon mismo sa ILRC, and in that assessment, lalabas yung tinatawag na IEP,” Romulo said during the hearing.

He said the IEP serves as the basis for determining whether a learner is ready to be mainstreamed and the type of support that should be provided.

“What is an IEP? Individualized Education Plan. Doon makikita paano i-mainstream, at kung kayang i-mainstream na, at kung paano i-mainstream.”

Romulo said many schools have skipped these requirements and proceeded directly with mainstreaming.

“Ang ginawa ng DepEd, hindi ninyo pinansin yung ILRC, hindi ninyo ginawa yung IEP, tapos nag-mainstream lang kayo. You did not comply with the law at all. Kaya tayo nandito ngayon, kaya naguguluhan yung teachers eh. That’s why the IEP is a central part of the ILRC,” he added.

According to EDCOM 2, while schools have increasingly complied with the requirement to admit learners with disabilities, many still lack the support systems mandated under the law.

The commission said consultations found that the admission guarantee has often been interpreted to mean that all learners with disabilities should automatically be placed in regular classrooms, regardless of the nature of their disability, the level of support they need, or the readiness of schools to accommodate them.

Teachers also expressed uncertainty over whether self-contained classes for learners requiring more intensive interventions may still be maintained.

“Noong wala pa po yung RA 11650, sinasabi po ng mga regular teachers na: ‘Ay, doon po kayo sa Binalonan North kasi nandoon po ang SPED.’ Pero with the Inclusive Education Act, they have no choice but to accept, kasi bawal naman mag-turn down. Pero ang mga receiving teachers sa mainstream, wala namang training or tools to actually support the special needs of the child”, a principal from a Special Education (SPED) Center told the commission.

EDCOM 2 said Republic Act No. 11650 requires both the admission of learners with disabilities and the provision of reasonable accommodations through assessment, multidisciplinary support and individualized education planning.

The commission added that consultations with SPED centers showed teachers are increasingly being tasked to handle learners with disabilities in regular classrooms without sufficient support.

A teacher from Binalonan North Central School SPED Center said, “Sir, 12 po ang naka-mainstream sa akin ngayon. 12 po out of 36. Okay pa po ngayon kasi Opening Block, wala pang masyadong activities. Hindi ko lang po alam ‘pag nag-Instructional Block na at nagsabay-sabay silang ma-stress.”

Another teacher from Tagbilaran City Central School SPED Center who handles learners with multiple disabilities said, “Ang tanong naming naghahandle ng may multiple disabilities, paano mo tuturuan ang labinlimang bata nang sabay-sabay?”

EDCOM 2 Executive Director Karl Mark Yee said schools need clearer guidance to ensure mainstreaming is carried out in line with the law.

“Mainstreaming without support is not inclusion. As we transition and build capacity of iLRCs, we call on the Department of Education to immediately provide schools with clear guidance on how to operationalize mainstreaming in accordance with RA 11650, with appropriate nuance by type of disability and level of support needed, so that learners with disabilities can actually be included,” Yee said.