By Azam Tariq

China's progress in disability-inclusive education offers valuable guidance for Pakistan, as experts note that many children with disabilities can study in mainstream schools if teacher training, accessible infrastructure, early screening and coordinated policy support are strengthened.

The discussion comes as China continues to expand disability-inclusive education through stronger legislation and targeted school-based programmes. United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Representative to China Amakobe Sande said China had made substantial progress in improving accessibility for children with disabilities, citing the country's law on building a barrier-free living environment as an important step that establishes clear standards and accountability.

UNICEF has been working with China's education authorities since the end of 2022 on a disability-inclusive education programme. By 2025, the programme had reached about 1.1 million children in 1,682 schools and kindergartens across seven provincial-level regions. During China's 14th Five-Year Plan period, more than 30,000 students with disabilities entered universities each year.

While China has steadily expanded inclusive education, Pakistan continues to face broader challenges in ensuring access to quality education for all children. The Pakistan Economic Survey 2025-26 states that Sustainable Development Goal 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all, but the country still faces access and financing constraints. The survey records the out-of-school children rate at 28% and school attendance among people aged 10 years and above at 67%.

The survey also shows that education expenditure stood at Rs962.029 billion in FY2025, equivalent to 0.8% of gross domestic product (GDP).

The challenges become even greater for children with disabilities. According to the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), only 31% of persons with disabilities have ever attended school, while children with disabilities are more than twice as likely to be out of school as their peers.

Speaking with Wealth Pakistan, Haroon Mazhar, Director of Orphan Care at Khubaib Foundation, said Pakistan must gradually move away from relying solely on separate institutions for children with disabilities and instead promote inclusive education wherever possible.

He said children with disabilities should not be excluded from mainstream schools simply because institutions are not yet prepared to accommodate them. Instead, schools should be equipped with trained teachers, ramps, adapted toilets, learning support staff and flexible teaching methods so children with visual, hearing, physical or learning disabilities can participate on equal terms.

Mazhar said teacher training should form the foundation of inclusive education. Many teachers, he noted, are willing to support children with disabilities but lack the practical skills to identify individual needs, adapt lessons and manage mixed-ability classrooms effectively.

He also called for early screening systems so children can be identified and provided appropriate support at the right stage of development.

"Inclusive education requires a change in mindset. Parents, teachers and school administrations must recognize that disability does not equate to inability," he said.

Mazhar added that public-private partnerships involving government institutions, private schools and welfare organisations could play an important role, particularly in underserved areas where public resources remain limited. Such collaboration, he said, can help build an inclusive education system that leaves no child behind.

Muhammad Usman, Vice Principal of Boys Higher Secondary School, Bara, Ghanche, Gilgit-Baltistan, told Wealth Pakistan that Pakistan should prioritise making existing schools more inclusive instead of relying primarily on separate institutions for children with disabilities.

He said mainstream schools already possess significant human and physical resources, but these can only be utilised effectively if teachers receive specialised training and schools are equipped with the necessary facilities.

He suggested establishing dedicated support units within mainstream schools so children with disabilities can receive specialised assistance while remaining integrated into the wider school environment.

Usman also recommended building institutional partnerships, facilitating teacher exchanges, and organizing study visits with Chinese schools that are implementing disability-inclusive education programmes. Such collaboration, he said, would help Pakistani educators better understand practical approaches to classroom support, school planning and inclusive teaching.

Experts believe China's experience demonstrates that inclusive education depends not only on enrolment policies but also on sustained investment in teacher training, accessible infrastructure, specialised support services and public awareness. For Pakistan, they say, the priority should be to make mainstream schools more inclusive while ensuring specialised support remains available for children with complex needs.

Credit: INP-WealthPk