Jakarta, Kartunet - Many in the general public still believe that children with special needs or individuals with disabilities can only study at SLB (Special Schools). However, this assumption is incorrect, and many children with special needs have studied and excelled in mainstream/regular schools. This is guaranteed by Ministry of Education and Culture Regulation No.
70 of 2009 concerning Inclusive Education. The state guarantees every child of the nation, including those with special needs, the right to pursue education in any school. There are several reasons why the government implements this inclusive education system. Firstly, the limited number of SLB or special schools restricts access for students with special needs if they are only allowed to study there.
Meanwhile, there are regular schools located closer to home. This will expand their access to proper education and keep them closer to their families. Furthermore, inclusive education allows students with special needs to directly integrate into society alongside their peers without special needs. This can enhance social skills and foster self-confidence.
Moreover, for students without special needs, their empathy and tolerance will also increase, as they interact from an early age with peers who have different physical or intellectual conditions. The state has actually instructed every mainstream school to accommodate students with special needs who wish to study at their institution. However, school authorities sometimes claim they are not ready and recommend other schools that have previously accepted students with special needs, such as SMA 66 Jakarta or SMP 226 Jakarta in South Jakarta.
This actually violates students' rights and should be advocated for. As a result, some schools have started accepting them, such as SMA 34 and SMA 46 in South Jakarta. Therefore, there's no need to worry if you or your family member has special needs and wishes to continue studying in a mainstream school. The state has already accommodated this, and it's now a matter of how you can convince the school that you are indeed capable.
There are many successful examples of those who have studied in mainstream schools, and you can certainly achieve even greater success.(DPM)