Dechen Dolkar
A 13-year-old girl who attends Tendruk Central School in Samtse faces great challenges due to her severe disability, which forces her to live in a rented house near the school rather than in the dormitory as she is unable to adequately meet the demands of intensive self-care.
A fourth grade student with a disability attends this inclusive school. Her village is far from the school, so she has to live in a rented house. Her parents divorced when she was three and a half years old. She remained at home for nearly nine years without clinical evaluation, early intervention, medication, or treatment.
Her maternal grandmother is currently her primary caregiver at the school. She is considered one of the most severe cases among the students. She is unable to feed herself due to muscle tension in her hands and fingers. Additionally, she has no control over her bowel movements or urination, so she has to wear sanitary nappies all day.
The school’s Special Educational Needs (SEN) team is supporting her through fundraising to cover costs such as rent, food and nappies.
Similarly, a 13-year-old boy lives in a rented house near his school because he is far from his village. His parents divorced when he was three years old, and his father, who also has a speech and hearing impairment, looks after him. His father is unable to work due to his caregiving responsibilities, and they rely entirely on donations for their livelihood.
Tendulku Central School has 64 students with disabilities, 47 of whom are classified as severely disabled. Of these students, 18 live in rented accommodation.
According to Tara Giri, special education coordinator, children with severe disabilities cannot live in the school dormitory because they require constant care and their parents cannot stay there. Rental accommodation, which is not barrier-free, is the only viable option for these students.
“Many parents, many of whom are low-income earners or single, are struggling with financial burdens and are unable to pay rent and day-to-day expenses. Donations help cover these costs,” she said.
Additionally, parents often have to give up farm work to care for their children year-round, which adds to financial difficulties and in some cases leads to divorce, she said.
She also said that in the hostels, children with moderate disabilities are looked after on a voluntary basis by their peers.
Tara Giri said children with disabilities in rural areas sometimes cannot attend school due to lack of support from their caregivers.
“For example, there is a seven-year-old boy whose parents have passed away and who is being cared for by his grandparents. Due to the severity of his symptoms, he requires constant supervision by a caregiver, so it is not practical for his elderly grandparents to live in a rented house away from home,” she said.
According to the 2023 National Health Survey (NHS), there are approximately 48,000 people with disabilities living in Bhutan, the majority of whom live in rural areas where poverty and disability often intertwine.
The survey revealed that children with disabilities aged between 5 and 17 years old are the third largest group among people with disabilities in Bhutan, accounting for approximately 5.63% of the total, or approximately 2,700 people.
The report further identified Wangdue Phodrang, Samtse and Sarpang as the districts with the highest incidence of multiple disabilities.
Support Groups
Registered as a private organization in 2020, Fensem is a parent support group that aims to support parents of children with disabilities, many of whom are single, low-income, or have had to quit their jobs to care for their children.
Phensem currently has around 400 members and focuses on supporting families living with both physical and neurodevelopmental disabilities.
The Fencem co-founder, who is also the parent of a child with a disability, cited financial strain and the need for a caregiver as some of the challenges parents in similar situations face: “Many parents are single, belong to low-income households, or have had to quit their jobs to care for their children full-time.”
She said parents of children with disabilities often do not have the option to choose the school that is most convenient for their child, and must instead choose a school that offers an inclusive program. “This inconvenience can be a deterrent and lead parents to keep their children at home instead of sending them to school.”
She also said some parents may label their children as incompetent and choose not to send them to school, which could worsen their child’s situation. “Furthermore, some parents may rely solely on teachers and hospitals to address their child’s challenges, but it is very important that parents play an active role in improving their child’s situation.”
Additionally, she said, children with disabilities will grow up to be adults with disabilities. “Early intervention and education play a key role in promoting inclusion and it is important that parents are aware of this,” she said. “Fensem is committed to facilitating this shift in mindset.”
She said parents are also concerned about their children’s future after high school. Some children with disabilities have access to vocational training, but many do not, and many simply stay home and do nothing after graduating. “If the government can provide skills training programs after high school, these children will be able to actively participate in society and become independent,” she said.
She further highlighted parental anxieties over their children hitting adolescence, noting that in other countries there have even been incidents of children with disabilities becoming frustrated and physically aggressive towards their parents. “Parents have to find solutions to address these challenges,” she said.
For inclusive schools
The 13th Five-Year Plan has allocated around Nu 1.08 billion to support Bhutan’s inclusive education programme. The funds will go towards initiatives such as training teachers, building disability-friendly infrastructure and training Paralympic athletes. The plan aims to increase the number of inclusive schools to 120 from the current 44 (expected to reach 48 by July).
According to the Ministry of School Education, there are currently 1,000 students enrolled in 44 inclusive schools across the country. This enrolment figure indicates that more than half of eligible students with disabilities are still not attending school.
Under the plan, established inclusive schools will act as lead schools for their respective districts and municipalities, which will in turn propose and develop three to four satellite inclusive schools to expand access and support for students with disabilities across the country.
Officials from the ECCD and SEN division of the School Education Department stressed that the ministry is gradually setting up one to two inclusive schools in each dzongkhag and thromde in a bid to strengthen inclusive and special education services across the country.
“Improving quality services requires time, sustained efforts from all stakeholders including the government, the public and a positive attitude from parents, leaders and decision-makers,” the official said.
Additionally, the Ministry is working with UNICEF on a range of initiatives, including:
Capacity building for teachers Review of policies and guidelines on inclusive education Procurement of assistive devices and technology Establishment of resource rooms Procurement of teaching and learning materials
Conducting awareness and outreach programs
These partnerships and initiatives aim to strengthen inclusive education practices and support for children with disabilities in Bhutan.
The Council of State also approved the recommendations of the Committee on Culture on strengthening policy implementation, improving access to education and healthcare, raising public awareness and ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities across the country.
Specific recommendations from the committee include providing housing quotas for people with disabilities, providing disability benefits, prioritizing investment in teachers with special educational needs, reserving government-designated positions for people with disabilities, and exploring affordable transport options in areas outside Thimphu.
Meanwhile, until these recommendations are implemented, children with disabilities like those at Tendulku Central School will continue to rely on support from their parents and special needs teachers.
Quencel, in partnership with UNICEF, will publish a series of articles on child and youth issues as part of the new country programming cycle and new priorities.