The Macao government needs to do more to support children with special education needs (SEN), especially with the rise in the number of such students in recent years. That’s according to lawmaker Che Sai Wang, who spoke during yesterday’s Legislative Assembly plenary session.
In his address to the assembly, Che cited official data that indicate the number of SEN students in mainstream classrooms had been increasing at an average rate of 200 per year.
Figures from the Social Welfare Bureau reveal that the population of special needs children in mainstream schools grew from 1,795 in the 2019 to 2020 academic year to 2,627 in the 2023 to 2024 academic year.
In response to the growth in SEN students, Che called for the government to enact measures to foster greater acceptance of the placement of such students in general classrooms – a practice known as mainstreaming.
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He also urged for greater education and support for parents about SEN, noting that many of them lack knowledge in this area, resulting in cases in which children do not receive timely attention and support.
With respect to schools, the legislator acknowledged that the government had been helping teachers with the implementation of mainstreaming by offering them relevant resources and training. He noted, however, that the workload of classroom teachers remains high and that it was necessary to train “shadow teachers” or classroom assistants who can help SEN students.
According to data from Macao’s education bureau, there were 47 schools in the city that offered inclusive education for SEN students in the 2023 to 2024 academic year. Special education classes were also available in seven schools during this period.
The Macao government has been working actively to promote special education in recent years, as illustrated by the introduction of a special education system law in the 2021 to 2022 academic year, as well as annual workshops and events to raise awareness of SEN.
