Delivery of education for learners with disabilities has been greatly challenged by the pandemic. In my case, I believe we were able to prepare for this as early as 2017, when I was given the opportunity to become one of the recipients of the Australia Fellowship Awards to study in QUT. Little did I know that this month-long facilitators’ training on Inclusive Education was a divine provision to equip me in carrying my tasks as Learning Leader in the field of Special Needs Education in the time of crisis. The initiatives I have started and conducted over the three years after that training have served as building blocks that promoted resiliency among SPED teachers, school heads parents and learners.
At the onset of the pandemic, Schools Division of Laguna launched a Project entitled SPED Bayanihan for Inclusive Education. Bayanihan is a Filipino term that embodies heroic deeds, communal unity and cooperation. This project has enabled teachers to cope with the drastic changes and learn strategies to reach out and guide the parents as partners in delivering basic education. As a humble instrument to this, I am always thankful for the experiences, knowledge, and wisdom that QUT and its people have generously shared.
