Disability/Education

Overview & Synopsis

The special education sector appears to suffer from low remuneration compared to those in the mainstream education sector.

Knowledge Gaps

SPED teachers appear to face a high turnover - but need actual data on turnover vs. mainstream schools

Key Statistics & Figures

Prevalence rate

2.1% of the student population has disabilities, based on the number of reported cases of students with sensory impairment, physical impairment, autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. The total student population is put at approximately 460,000

There are 31,000 students with special needs (80% mainstream school, 20% SPED) ; 20,000 children with SEN have enrolled in mainstream schools

Theory of Change

Short-Term Outcomes(skills, knowledge, attitudes)		Mid-Term Outcomes(behaviours)		Long-Term Outcomes(impact)		Social Impact
Educators are extensively trained	→	PWDs are supported by qualified educators	→	PWDs are equipped with skills for work and life (please reference the Employment page)	→	Disabled people have access to an inclusive education which nurtures their varied potentials towards academic, occupational and social development
School infrastructure and learning environments meet accessibility standards	→	PWDs can access and participate in different levels and types of education over the life course	→
Reasonable accommodations are made to meet the individualised, unique needs of different students	→

Key Statistics and Figures	Key Gaps	Knowledge Gaps
	Teacher training in the area of special needs do not emphasise practical learning and hands-on experience needed to manage a class of students with disabilities	There are many concerns about the implications of the revised Compulsory Education Act: Are there enough teachers trained in special needs? Are allied educators being adequately supported? While primary school education is nearly free, SPED schooling can cost more – appears to go against UNCRPD Article 24, which call for “free and compulsory primary education” Increased costs in schooling a special needs child—transporting a child needing a wheelchair to school, to other needs such as speech and occupational therapy, high fees for those with severe conditions  Opportunity costs can be high for children with autism, such as forgoing Applied Behaviour Analysis therapy which would have better equipped children with behavioural and learning capabilities necessary for school in the first place  SPED schools already have long waiting lists. Can they cope? How would this implicate SPED school funding? Will special needs students be assessed at the same level as mainstream students in certain areas? Are there adequate caregiving and transport provisions availed?
A third of Singaporeans do not have a disabled person in their social circles	Parents report difficulties enrolling children with preschools[35]: Estimated that 70% of EIPIC students do not attend preschool due to severity of their needs and lack of readiness of preschools to take child in Many parents feel their kids inadequately supported by inexperienced staff, an unsuitable curriculum and inadequate school facilities
About 1% of students across publicly-funded universities, polytechnics and ITEs have some form of disability	There is a limited number of SPED schools, with long waiting lists for schools up to two years. Parents may contribute to long waiting lists by fixating on particular schools more than others.
7 in 10 Singaporeans support the idea of inclusive education , but only 1 in 10 Singaporeans is sure about how to interact with a child with special needs
64% of Singaporeans are willing to share public spaces with disabled children, but not interact with them
According to a Lien Foundation survey in 2016, of the 835 parents of special needs children who were surveyed, four in 10 think their children spend too little time in the community outside of school. Nearly half of those surveyed said their children do not have friends without disabilities.