Children with disabilities must get state-support so they can participate in all spheres of life

More than half of children with disabilities in Bangladesh are not enrolled in any formal education. The findings come from the recently-published National Survey on Persons with Disabilities (NSPD) 2021. The survey reveals that among children with disabilities (aged 5-17 years), 65 per cent are enrolled in primary school and only 35 per cent are enrolled in secondary school. In total, 60 percent of children with disabilities aged 5-17 years are not in education.
The survey also found that children with disabilities who do attend formal education lag behind academically by over two years for their age on average. The findings will support the Government to formulate policies and initiatives to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities in Bangladesh. According to the survey, 1.7 per cent of children in Bangladesh live with one of the twelve types of disability defined in the Persons with Disability Rights and Protection Act 2013, while 3.6 per cent of children face functional difficulty in at least one of the domains of seeing, hearing, walking, fine motor skills, communication, learning, playing or controlling behaviour.
The new data highlights just how many children with disabilities in Bangladesh are losing out on education. Experts said we need to provide the support and services they need, and we need to create an inclusive environment where they can thrive. Only one-third of persons with disabilities of working age are employed, with women with disabilities far more likely to be unemployed compared to men. And while 90 per cent of persons with disabilities who are registered with the Government receive disability allowances, the vast majority of them – about 65 per cent – remain unregistered.
Early identification and management of childhood disabilities are critical to maximising the potential of children. It is also critical to create an inclusive environment where families and service providers can support children with disabilities to participate actively in all spheres of life.