Plan to boost special education nationally

A new action plan, released by China's Ministry of Education and six other central government departments, has set a target to maintain the 97 percent enrollment rate of school-age children with disabilities in compulsory education through 2030.

Released on Aug 31, the plan outlines a comprehensive push to build a high-quality special education system that is inclusive, accessible and convenient, with the goal of enhancing the ability of children with disabilities to integrate into society and pursue lifelong development.

China has made historic strides in special education, with the number of special education schools, enrolled students and full-time teachers all increasing significantly since 2012, according to official data.

By 2025, the country had 2,464 special education schools, serving 927,000 students and employing 85,100 specialized teachers — up 33 percent, 145 percent and 95 percent, respectively, compared with 2012.

However, education authorities cautioned that the rapid expansion has also exposed persistent weaknesses. Insufficient resource allocation, uneven teaching quality, limited digital integration and incomplete support mechanisms remain hurdles to further progress.

The plan identifies five key tasks. The first is to expand resources for special education by optimizing educational placement for children with disabilities, improving pathways for further study and fully safeguarding their right to education.

The second is to improve education quality by deepening curriculum and teaching reforms, accelerating efforts to improve education for children with autism, strengthening professional support for special education, and integrating vocational education with employment pathways for students with disabilities.

Digital transformation is the third priority, with the plan encouraging the use of artificial intelligence to support the development of special education.

The fourth task is to strengthen inclusive development by consolidating the funding mechanism for special education, improving school conditions and strengthening the teaching workforce.

The fifth is to expand international exchanges and cooperation in special education.

The plan also calls for expanding opportunities for students with disabilities to receive education at the high school level and above. It supports the integrated development of secondary vocational and vocational undergraduate education for students with disabilities, and encourages special education secondary vocational schools to collaborate with higher vocational institutions to offer five-year programs.

It also supports universities in developing majors suitable for students with disabilities and actively admitting qualified candidates. Universities are required to strengthen academic support, living services and career guidance for students with disabilities.

Shandong Medical and Pharmaceutical University has introduced targeted admission policies and a full-chain support system for students with disabilities, said Huang Fei, the university's president.

For applicants with visual or hearing impairments, the university participates in a joint entrance examination with four other institutions through a separate admission channel.

For applicants with limb disabilities, all undergraduate majors are open to them as long as they meet the national cutoff scores, and they enjoy the same right to change majors as other students, with no additional barriers, Huang told China Central Television.

The university also provides integrated services tailored to students' diverse needs, covering academic support, practical training, career placement and further studies, he said.

Yu Muyang, a visually impaired undergraduate student majoring in traditional Chinese medicine at the university, had worried about studying diagrams and conducting specimen experiments.

But on campus, he found Braille textbooks, tactile anatomical models and dedicated laboratories, as well as a team of special education teachers, psychologists and rehabilitation therapists.

Yu said he never feels isolated in public or elective courses, where he studies alongside students without disabilities.

The university actively connects students with hospitals and rehabilitation centers for internships and employment, and some senior students have gone on to pursue master's degrees in law.

"We experience equal access under adapted conditions, and I believe we can create our own brilliant futures through our abilities," Yu said.