- 4.2 Challenges in Education Service Delivery to Students with Disabilities

<mark>To help ensure inclusive education, particularly for children with disabilities, Indonesia has implemented several laws and regulations. For example, Law No. 8/2016 clearly mandates inclusive education for the disabled, Ministerial Regulation No. 33/2008 mandates that every district is required to have special needs schools at primary and junior secondary levels, and Ministerial Regulation No. 70/2009 on Inclusive Education requires every subdistrict to have at least one inclusive school at primary and junior secondary levels, and for every district to have one inclusive school at the senior secondary level. Government Regulation No. 17/2010 on the Management and Implementation of Education also addresses education for children with disabilities; including the responsibility of Provincial governments to provide at least one education institution per education level for each type of disability.</mark> <mark>Despite these efforts, evidence shows that there are major barriers to learning for children with disabilities, which include the following:</mark>

1. **Stigma and discrimination against children with disabilities prevent them from getting the help they need.** A recent UNICEF Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) study in Bogor, Pangkajene Kepulauan, Brebes, and Banyumas districts revealed negative attitudes of school managers, teachers and school communities, stigma and discrimination against children with disabilities, and poor emotional well-being experienced by children with disabilities both in and outside the school environment (UNICEF, forthcoming).

The stigma towards children with disabilities also prevents parents from reporting their children to receive extra support from teachers and schools. One MoEC official interviewed for this study in Jakarta noted that, while the Education Law covers children with disabilities by policy, in practice it is difficult to obtain data on children with disabilities, which makes planning difficult. This was echoed by school principals during field visits, who noted that there is stigma associated with having a child with a disability, which often prevents parents from reporting their child to enroll or otherwise obtain services. This then places greater onus on teachers and principals, and the broader community to both identify and serve these children.

2. **Schools are not prepared to teach children with disabilities.** Although children with disabilities might flourish in inclusive primary schools ready and able to receive them, more challenges are found as they attempt to further their education. For example, examination protocols are rarely designed to accommodate their disability, facilities are often inaccessible, and even fewer teachers have been trained in special needs at higher levels according to interviews conducted for this research. In Surakarta, Central Java, <mark>most inclusive and special schools in Surakarta city do not adapt student assessments to the children’s specific needs (Mujahid, 2019).</mark> 3. **Unclear implementation guidelines regarding which level of government is responsible for the management of teaching children with disabilities.** While there are policies in place intended to ensure that children with disabilities have access to schools with appropriate accommodation to support their learning, in discussions with provincial- and district-level education officers, there was a lack of clarity in terms of implementation. In particular, children with special needs come under the auspices of the province, although the province is not responsible for primary schools, leaving an ambiguous area of responsibility for primary aged children with disabilities. Provincial officials indicate that mandates regarding children with special needs were largely unfunded, and 22