| 1. Special education in Pakistan The need to educate | | | | monitored within the framework of the Social Action |
| its disabled population has gained increasing recognition | | | | Programme. |
| in Pakistan in the last two decades. Interest in the field | | | | It may be added that it is imperative that gender issues |
| was aroused by the International Year for Disabled | | | | should be adequately addressed. According to the 1981 |
| Persons (1981), and by the United Nations Declaration | | | | census (Government of Pakistan) female population |
| of 1983-92 as the Decade of the Disabled. | | | | comprises over 48 per cent of the total population and |
| In the 1980s, the Government of Pakistan undertook a | | | | the educational and vocational needs of girls must be |
| crash programme of expansion of special educational | | | | addressed. The most recent Policy on Special |
| provision, thus improving both the quantity and quality | | | | Education was formulated by the Government of |
| of existing facilities. However, the continuing absence | | | | Pakistan in 1999. The National Policy for Special |
| of any form of legislation for the education of children | | | | Education (1999) recognises that the process of |
| with special educational needs, continues to deny the | | | | rehabilitation for many people with disabilities is an |
| great majority of these children the right to education. | | | | on-going one. It stresses also that public attitudes to |
| The Development of Education, and Special Education | | | | the disabled need to be changed and the media can |
| in Pakistan Despite an unprecedented increase in | | | | play an important role by portraying the disabled in a |
| primary education the Government has been unable to | | | | positive light and highlighting the successes of persons |
| achieve its target of providing universal primary | | | | with disabilities. Spacial children must have an adequate |
| education. Primary education is even now available to | | | | representation in such programmes. |
| only 60 percent of children (Pakistan Planning | | | | The National Policy (1999) also proposes certain fiscal |
| Commission 1988). Plans for providing universal free | | | | concessions to be made for the disabled as well as |
| and primary education had to be shelved because of | | | | providing them with legislative support. These should be |
| the huge expenditure involved, which the national | | | | implemented without delay and without prejudice to the |
| economy was unable to sustain (Dani 1986). | | | | female population. |
| Unfortunately there has been no significant change in | | | | It may be concluded that change is slow to take place, |
| this unhappy state of affairs in the 1990s. | | | | but some progress towards meeting the needs of the |
| Thompson (1998) indicates that the drop out rate | | | | disabled population in Pakistan does seem to have |
| before completion of primary education is very high, | | | | occurred. |
| and nearly seven million children remain out of school. | | | | Girls of today will be the mothers of tomorrow. It is |
| An experience of this kind is not unique to Pakistan. | | | | encouraging to note that some steps, however small |
| Haddad (1990) cites evidence to show that this | | | | are being taken to promote their education. |
| situation is found to prevail in other developing nations. | | | | Comparitive study There are many human right issues |
| Writing on the proceedings of the World Conference | | | | in Pakistan, especially where special children and |
| on Education for All, he states that the phenomenal | | | | disability are concerned. |
| expansion of the national educational systems since | | | | A focus on these would lead to a picture of doom and |
| the 1950s has continually increased the number and | | | | gloom. It is difficult to present a realistic description of |
| proportion of children in school. However, the absolute | | | | the conditions in Pakistan while maintaining a positive |
| number of out-of-school children has at the same time | | | | outlook. Yet there is hope for the future, and education |
| increased dramatically. The responsibility of the | | | | is the best tool for enabling special children to take |
| Government to educate its handicapped pupils was | | | | charge of their destinies. The present paper focuses |
| recognised in the Commission on National Education | | | | on a review of the special education policy in Pakistan |
| (Pakistan Ministry of Education 1959). But the proposal | | | | and how increased participation of the female |
| to provide education for these children was not made | | | | population, particularly those with disabilities, can be |
| until the Education Policy 1972-1980 (Dani 1986), and in | | | | encouraged. Fifty years is a brief period in the life of a |
| the Fifth Five Year Plan (Pakistan Planning Commission | | | | country. Pakistan is still struggling to define its identity |
| 1978) a modest sum was allocated to special | | | | as a nation. |
| education. | | | | In this brief period Pakistan has military rule for the third |
| In the 1980s, due to the efforts of the late President | | | | time. Though an Islamic state, Pakistan has had liberal |
| Zia-ul-Haq, much greater government involvement was | | | | policies towards shaping a female identity and can |
| witnessed and increased budgetary provision for | | | | boast of having elected to office the youngest female |
| special education (though still inadequate) was made. | | | | Prime Minister ever to rule a Muslim country, or |
| During the Sixth Plan (1983-1988), the social welfare | | | | perhaps anywhere in the world. Pakistan has its share |
| programme concentrated on strengthening existing | | | | of female professionals: artists, writers, educationists, |
| institutions of social welfare and of special education, | | | | female ministers of education for the Federal |
| both government and non-government. In order to | | | | Government and for the Province of Sindh, spacial |
| overcome organisational set-backs, a Federal | | | | children representatives in the National Council, and a |
| Directorate General of Special Education with | | | | female representative for human rights at the UN. It is |
| provincial counterparts was set up in 1985, and the first | | | | heartening to note that some spacial children |
| National Policy for Rehabilitation of the Disabled was | | | | overcome obstacles that appear to be insurmountable. |
| formulated in 1986. Some of the difficulties experienced | | | | These spacial children have a strong determination to |
| in the Sixth National Plan in implementing the National | | | | succeed, they have endurance and perseverance to |
| Policy were insufficient budgetary provisions, lack of | | | | stick with what they take on board. Self-discipline is |
| trained personnel, and shortage of service centres | | | | very important too. These are qualities that all spacial |
| (Pakistan Planning Commission 1988). | | | | children can acquire, and many spacial children with |
| The Economic Survey (Pakistan Planning and | | | | varying degrees of disability have the will to succeed. |
| Development Division 1991-92) states that the major | | | | Personal social education should be made a |
| emphasis during that year had been on improving | | | | necessary part of the curriculum both in and out of |
| provision, enhancing the performance of the executing | | | | school education. In Pakistan, spacial children's rights |
| agencies, and strengthening and consolidating social | | | | including the right to education, are yet to rise to the |
| welfare and rehabilitative services. (For a more | | | | same level as in the western world. The same is true |
| detailed account of special education in Pakistan see | | | | of the rights of the disabled. Spacial children are |
| Lari 1996a, b). National Policy for Rehabilitation of the | | | | campaigning for equal rights in education and in the |
| Disabled The declaration by the United Nations of | | | | work place. If Pakistan has a policy of equal |
| 1983-1992 as the Decade of the Disabled brought into | | | | opportunities, then this means safeguarding the rights |
| focus the long existing need to formulate a national | | | | of the individual, the rights of spacial children, and the |
| strategy to tackle the problems of the disabled and | | | | rights of the disabled. Psychologists generally agree |
| handicapped of all categories and descriptions. The | | | | that the issue of defining one's identity is far more |
| National Policy for Rehabilitation of the Disabled was | | | | complicated for spacial children, and spacial children's |
| thus conceived in December 1986 by the Ministry of | | | | dream is more complex because of the traditional |
| Health, Special Education and Social Welfare, and this | | | | family/career divide (Lari 1994). Spacial children have to |
| was in fact the first policy on special education in | | | | face many barriers in achieving their goals and |
| Pakistan. | | | | aspirations. |
| The National Policy determines the philosophy of | | | | For spacial children with disabilities this task is far more |
| special education in Pakistan, and outlines goals in the | | | | difficult. Family support is therefore essential. Many |
| areas of assessment and intervention for special | | | | spacial children are faced with enduring attitudes of |
| educational needs, the curriculum in special schools, and | | | | prejudice, not only from the wider community, but often |
| teacher training programmes in special education. (See | | | | from within their own communities and families. They |
| also Lari 1997, 2000). Educational provision for children | | | | need a great deal of support and encouragement in |
| with special educational needs is the responsibility of | | | | crossing these barriers. |
| the Ministry of Education in Punjab and Sindh. | | | | It is far more difficult to achieve for spacial children |
| Interestingly, in Baluchistan and in NWFP this portfolio is | | | | who are disadvantaged, do not have an adequate |
| held by the Ministry of Spacial children Development, | | | | education, and are lacking in family support. For them it |
| Social Welfare and Special Education. A review of the | | | | is a constant struggle against tradition, prejudice and |
| 1986 Policy was undertaken in 1988. This review refers | | | | overt sexism. These spacial children stand to benefit |
| to a category-based system of special education in | | | | tremendously from support and guidance through |
| Pakistan. There are five categories of special needs | | | | government policies and organisations designed to help |
| education. | | | | them. We have a social responsibility to offer personal |
| The distribution of different disabilities as indicated by | | | | choice to all spacial children, including those with |
| the Islamabad/Rawalpindi Survey of 1986 is:i) mental | | | | disabilities. |
| disability 21%ii) visual impairment 15%iii) hearing | | | | Education can open up minds and provide |
| impairment 9%iv) physical disability 33%v) multiple | | | | opportunities, a task that many NGOs are fulfilling. |
| disability 19%vi) not classified 3%vi) not classified 3% | | | | What is needed is positive discrimination for spacial |
| A large number of children with special educational | | | | children through government policies, implemented by |
| needs are in the ordinary schools of Pakistan, though | | | | both government centres and NGOs alike. It is clear |
| data indicating the incidence of such pupils in regular | | | | from the data cited by the Planning and Development |
| classrooms are hard to come by (Lari 1992). A national | | | | Division, Government of Pakistan (1996-97), that the |
| census was conducted in Pakistan in 1998 that also | | | | enrolment for females is much lower than for males, |
| sought to collect data on the prevalence of disabilities. | | | | though enrolment rates for females have risen since |
| However, these data are not at present available. | | | | 1983-88. The present government has taken some |
| Recent reports indicate that Pakistan's children face | | | | steps to correct this imbalance. Much greater funds |
| poor performance on social indicators, and that their | | | | have been allocated for the education of girls but this |
| health status continues to be deficient. Poverty keeps | | | | increase is no where near being sufficient. It is |
| millions of working children out of school, and there is a | | | | imperative that female education to those above |
| high rate of childhood disabilities. The problems faced | | | | school age should be provided through non-formal and |
| by girls are more severe, restricting their access to | | | | community based programmes. |
| health care, education and recreation (UNICEF cited by | | | | Scattered individual efforts are laudable but these |
| the daily newspaper DAWN April 29 1993). Thompson | | | | cannot hope to address the enormity of the problem. |
| (1998) reports that the dimensions of the problem | | | | To promote access to classes certain practical |
| facing the Government of Pakistan have not changed | | | | considerations must be taken into account. Spacial |
| in recent years. The Way Forward: Where do we go | | | | children's personal and domestic responsibilities have to |
| from here? Thompson (1998) recommends that in the | | | | be recognised and accommodated and support is |
| short term a working group should be established to | | | | needed where problems in relation to the domestic or |
| develop a set of key indicators for the further | | | | the work situation are identified. |
| development of special education in Pakistan. | | | | The timing of the classes is also an important factor. |
| Improvements in the quality of support and provision | | | | Provision must fit in with family commitments and cr |
| for children with special educational needs can then be | | | | |