Xizang reaches full enrollment in special education

The Xizang autonomous region has ensured full enrollment in compulsory education for children and adolescents with disabilities this year, according to a recent report from Xizang Business Daily.

By the end of 2023, the region had seven special education schools with 454 staff members serving 7,080 students. The education comes in diverse forms, including home-based teaching programs. Compulsory education achieved full coverage for children and adolescents with disabilities in 2024, the report said.

Among the seven schools is the Lhasa Special Education School. The campus was the first of its kind in the region, having been established in 2000. It offers several specialized programs for students.

"We design courses based on market demand and have developed local skills programs such as Thangka painting, Tibetan carpet weaving, ethnic painting and ceramic craftmanship," said Kunsangnamdrol, deputy principal, adding that these courses help students to acquire practical skills for their future vocations.

In addition to the national curriculum, the school provides Tibetan language courses and Tibetan sign language classes to meet local needs, according to the report.

"About 80 percent of the school's graduates find employment," said Sriyung, a massage teacher with 18 years of experience.

Graduates from the massage program found jobs in various fields. For example, some pursued higher education, some started their own business and many secured stable employment in hospitals, he said, as quoted in the report.

Ning Xiaohan, a hearing-impaired graduate from the school, went to high school and university outside the region. She later passed the civil service exam and returned to teach at her alma mater, according to the report.

"Four of my classmates became civil servants in Xizang," Ning said. "Now, we all teach at special education schools across the region, contributing to the development of special education."

Seven local departments, including the education authority, have issued an implementation plan for the development of special education in Xizang, which set the goal of establishing a high-quality special education system with improved accessibility, comprehensive enhancement of education quality and improved guarantee mechanism by 2025.

Liu Boqian contributed to this story.