Bhutan’s children with disabilities face stark literacy gap – Asia News Network

Report on Inclusive Education and Sustainable Development Goals in Bhutan

Executive Summary: Addressing Disparities in Alignment with SDG 4

A significant disparity exists in Bhutan’s educational outcomes, posing a challenge to the nation’s commitment to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While the national literacy rate exceeds 70 percent, the rate for children with disabilities is a mere 26.6 percent. This gap underscores the urgent need to bolster inclusive education systems to meet the principles of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which advocates for inclusive and equitable quality education for all. The government’s strategy is rooted in the “Leave No One Behind” principle, focusing on reaching the most vulnerable and marginalized groups.

Current State of Inclusive Education and Literacy

An analysis of the current educational landscape reveals critical areas for improvement in achieving SDG 4 targets.

• Literacy Gap: The 43.4 percentage point gap between the national literacy rate and that of children with disabilities highlights a major inequity.
• Enrollment Disparity: Of the 6,355 children with disabilities aged 6 to 18, only 1,455 (22.8 percent) are enrolled in educational institutions. This includes 506 girls.
• Infrastructure: As of 2025, Bhutan has established 50 inclusive schools to serve this population.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education

The national education strategy is explicitly linked to the Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on ensuring no child is left behind.

• SDG Target 4.5: The low enrollment and literacy rates for children with disabilities are in direct opposition to SDG Target 4.5, which aims to eliminate disparities and ensure equal access to all levels of education for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities.
• SDG Target 4.a: Efforts to expand inclusive schools and adapt infrastructure align with SDG Target 4.a, which calls for building and upgrading education facilities that are child, disability, and gender-sensitive.
• Core Principles: Experts affirm that inclusive education is fundamental to promoting equity, diversity, respect, and social cohesion, which are central tenets of the 2030 Agenda.

Government Initiatives and Policy Reforms

The Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) has prioritized improving the disability literacy rate and has implemented several measures to enhance the quality of inclusive education.

1. Policy Revision: The Ministry has revised guidelines concerning assessment, examinations, and student transitions for learners with disabilities to promote ability-based learning and a culture of inclusivity.
2. Capacity Building: Continuous investment is being made in teacher training to equip educators with the skills needed to support learners with diverse needs.
3. Resource Development: The government is focused on developing tailored learning resources and implementing individualized support plans.
4. Integrated Approach: A long-term strategy is being developed to make Central School clusters inclusive from Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) through Class XII, facilitating early identification and continuity of care.

Challenges and Resource Constraints

The transition towards a fully inclusive education system, as envisioned by SDG 4, faces significant obstacles.

• Infrastructure and Technology: As more schools become inclusive, there is a rising demand for infrastructure adaptation and assistive technologies, which are limited by resource constraints.
• Human and Material Resources: A shortage of trained teachers and a lack of tailored teaching-learning materials present major hurdles to delivering quality inclusive education.

Future Strategies and Commitments

The 13th Plan provides a clear roadmap for expanding inclusive education and further advancing progress toward SDG 4. The Ministry remains committed to ensuring every child can access meaningful, quality education.

• Increasing the number of inclusive and satellite schools.
• Enhancing teacher training programs.
• Improving the accessibility of school infrastructure.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The article is centered on the challenges and efforts in Bhutan’s education sector, specifically focusing on providing an “inclusive education system.” It discusses literacy rates, school enrollment, teacher training, and the quality of education, which are all core components of SDG 4. The article explicitly mentions the goal of ensuring “every child, regardless of ability, can access meaningful, quality education.”

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• The article directly references the principle of “Leaving no one behind,” which is central to the 2030 Agenda and particularly to SDG 10. It highlights the significant disparity between the national literacy rate (over 70%) and the rate for children with disabilities (26.6%). This focus on a “vulnerable and marginalised group” and the efforts to close the gap in educational access and outcomes directly address the goal of reducing inequalities.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education. The article’s focus on the low literacy and enrollment rates for children with disabilities indicates a gap in achieving this target. The ministry’s commitment to ensuring every child can access “meaningful, quality education” aligns with this goal.
• Target 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education. This is directly mentioned in the ministry’s future plans to make “Central School clusters more inclusive, from early childhood care and development (ECCD) through Class XII.”
• Target 4.5: By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities. This is the most prominent target in the article, which details the disparity in access and outcomes for children with disabilities, who are explicitly named as a vulnerable group. The entire initiative to create an “inclusive education system” is aimed at this target.
• Target 4.c: By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States. The article identifies the need for “trained teachers” as a challenge and mentions that the ministry invests in “capacity building of teachers” and plans for “enhancing teacher training.”

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. The article’s emphasis on creating an inclusive education system to “promote social cohesion and acceptance” and ensure children with disabilities can achieve “active participation in society” directly supports this target of social inclusion for persons with disabilities.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Literacy rate of children with disabilities: The article explicitly states this is “just 26.6 percent.” This is a direct indicator for measuring progress towards equitable education outcomes under Target 4.1 and Target 4.5.
• Enrollment rate of children with disabilities: The article notes that only “1,455 students with disabilities are currently enrolled,” which represents “just 22.8 percent of the total 6,355 children with disabilities.” This is a key indicator for measuring access to education under Target 4.5 and social inclusion under Target 10.2.
• Number of inclusive schools: The article states there are “50 inclusive schools as of 2025” and that a key initiative is “increasing the number of inclusive and satellite schools.” This serves as an indicator of the availability of appropriate infrastructure and learning environments (Target 4.5).
• Proportion of schools with adapted infrastructure and materials for students with disabilities: This is implied by the challenges mentioned, such as the demand for “infrastructure adaptation, assistive technologies, … and tailored teaching-learning materials.” Measuring the increase in these resources would indicate progress.
• Number of teachers trained in special/inclusive education: This is an implied indicator. The article highlights the need for “trained teachers” and mentions government initiatives for “capacity building of teachers” and “enhancing teacher training,” which can be measured to track progress towards Target 4.c.
• Number of inclusive Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) centers: This is an implied indicator based on the ministry’s plan to make “Central School clusters more inclusive, from early childhood care and development (ECCD) onwards,” which relates to Target 4.2.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: asianews.network