August 4, 2025
THIMPHU – While Bhutan’s national literacy rate stands at over 70 percent, the literacy rate among children with disabilities lags far behind at just 26.6 percent, highlighting the gap in the country’s efforts to create an inclusive education system.
Despite the government’s push for inclusion, only 1,455 students with disabilities are currently enrolled in inclusive and special education institutions nationwide, of whom 506 are girls.
This figure represents just 22.8 percent of the total 6,355 children with disabilities aged between 6 and 18, based on the latest available data from 2021.
The country has established 50 inclusive schools as of 2025, and experts in special education said that inclusive education is crucial to promote equity, diversity, respect, support holistic development of the child, and promote social cohesion and acceptance.
Leaving no one behind is also a key principle of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It emphasises that sustainable development must reach everyone, especially the most vulnerable and marginalised groups.
The Director of the Department of School Education, Ministry of Education and Skills Development’s (MoESD), Tashi Namgyal, said that improving the disability literacy rate is a priority for the ministry.
He said that over the past three years, the ministry has taken several measures to enhance the quality of inclusive education, not just the number of inclusive schools.
The Ministry has revised its guidelines concerning assessment, examinations, promotion, and student transitions for learners with disabilities. These updated protocols aim to promote ability-based learning, increase access, and cultivate a culture of inclusivity in classrooms across the country.
To support these reforms, the ministry continues to invest in capacity building of teachers, development of tailored learning resources, and implementation of individualised support plans for learners with diverse needs.
Looking ahead, Tashi Namgyal said the ministry is working to make Central School clusters more inclusive, from early childhood care and development (ECCD) through Class XII. “The integrated approach aims to support early identification, continuity of care, and learning support across the entire education cycle.”
However, he said the shift towards quality inclusive education comes with significant challenges. “As more schools become inclusive, the demand for infrastructure adaptation, assistive technologies, trained teachers, and tailored teaching-learning materials increases – resources that are often limited.”
Despite these challenges, Tashi Namgyal emphasised the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that every child, regardless of ability, can access meaningful, quality education that prepares them for life, work, and active participation in society.
The 13th lays out a roadmap to expand inclusive education. Key initiatives include increasing the number of inclusive and satellite schools, enhancing teacher training, and improving the accessibility of school infrastructure, among others.