Department of Education-10 Regional Special Needs Education Coordinator Romeo V. Balandra II said managing children with special needs requires a strategy because what worked for Child A does not mean it will work for Child B and Child C. Therefore, teachers must thoroughly understand their learners to effectively teach and manage them. (Photo: DCC/PIA-10)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — The Department of Education (DepEd)- is pushing for the hiring of more educational psychologists to enhance support for children with autism.
With the growing number of learners diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), DepEd Regional Special Needs Education (SNED) Coordinator, Romeo Balandra II, emphasized the urgent need for professionals who can assess and assist these children effectively.
“Currently, there are only two child psychologists serving Cagayan de Oro City and nearby regions. This is the reason that it will take two or three years to get an appointment with them,” Balandra said. He expressed hope that DepEd would prioritize hiring more specialists to address this gap in services.
DepEd remains committed to ensuring equal access to education for all children, including those with autism. To achieve this, DepEd has been actively training teachers and implementing specialized programs to address the learning needs of these children.
Recognizing the diverse characteristics of children with autism, DepEd has expanded its services to better support them. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents in different ways, and many children with autism have unique learning styles and behavioral patterns. Some individuals may struggle with speech development, while others may have difficulty understanding social cues.
“Merong hidden disability, just like learning disability; just by looking at them if they’re in the classroom, you’ll never know they have problems. Actually, most of these individuals with autism are pleasant-looking. So, wala ‘yung common description. Ang ilang problema is developmental condition. Meaning, the symptoms appeared very early in life. Sometimes at age 2, 1, or younger, naa ang mga very common nga symptom, like delay of speech,” he said.
(There are hidden disabilities, just like learning disabilities. Just by looking at them in the classroom, you would never know they have problems. Actually, most of these individuals with autism are pleasant-looking, so there is no common description. Their problem is the development of the condition, meaning the symptoms appeared very early in life. Sometimes at the ages of 2, 1, or younger, very common symptoms appear, like a delay in speech.)
He added that probably 50 percent of individuals with autism have no speech. Some can fluently speak but may have trouble with social cues, so they have problems interacting with other people. That’s also another common characteristic of individuals with autism.
DepEd has introduced various strategies to provide for the needs of children with autism. The SNED coordinator said establishing structured learning environments helps children navigate their daily activities with ease.
The use of a picture exchange communication system allows non-verbal children to communicate through pictures, enabling them to express their needs and thoughts effectively. Teachers also employ adaptive teaching methods to suit each child’s individual needs, ensuring that no single strategy is rigidly applied to all learners.
“There’s a reason for doing the same thing over and over again because children with autism prefer routines. They want everything structured, including the environment, they must know where the pencils are, where the books are, and where they should sit. They should be able to do the things that they like to do, or they prefer to do,” he said.
Balandra also discussed DepEd’s financial support programs, which ensure that schools receive adequate funding for special education needs. Schools are encouraged to tag students with disabilities in the enrollment system to allocate appropriate resources, including instructional materials and assessment tools.
Moreover, DepEd has provided schools with resources for other learners with disabilities, such as Braille materials for visually impaired students and sign language training for those with hearing impairments.
With the passage of Republic Act No. 11650 or the Inclusive Education Act, more parents have become aware of the available services for children with autism. As a result, there has been an increase in the number of students enrolled in special education programs.
However, challenges remain, particularly in teacher retention. “When the Class for Autism in Kids Center was opened 30 years ago, they started with just one class, and karon (now), there are, I think, six teachers handling children with autism. The most were in all the types of disabilities. I don’t know kung gidaghan ba atong bata (if there are more children) with autism or if their parents became more aware that they know where to send their children.”
He said DepEd has more teachers, but unfortunately, a lot of the teachers are leaving every year as most of them will go to the United States. “But we’re fighting and doing everything we can to accommodate our children,” he added.
Despite these challenges, Balandra said DepEd is dedicated to helping children with autism get a quality education. By training teachers, providing funds, and raising awareness, DepEd aims to create an inclusive learning environment for all children. (IJBD/PIA-10)
