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PART lssues and Perspectives of Elementaryand Secondary Education

Children who cannot attain sufficient educational benefits from the ordinary classroom education at elementary and lower secondary school because of mental or physical handicaps need to be provided with education with special considerations. At special education schools and classes, classes are smaller, and more careful instruction according to the type and degree of handicap is provided.

Recent issues of special education include the response to the severe and multiple handicap of pupils, the enrichment of early education to overcome handicaps, and the improvement of vocational education and career guidance. In order to encourage social participation and independence of mentally and physically handicapped children, it is important to promote understanding and acceptance of the handicapped children by the general public. The Ministry is endeavoring, therefore, to provide appropriate guidance on educational opportunities, to improve educational content, to upgrade the quality of educational personnel, to encourage handicapped children to work and become independent, and to promote society's understanding and acceptance of mentally and physically handicapped children.

The improvement of the curriculum standard for special education schools follow, in principle, the revision of the curriculum standard for elementary, lower secondary and upper secondary schools respectively. In addition to such a standard, the new Course of Study issued in October 1989 took into account the following recommendations of the Curriculum Council ; 1) a curriculum standard for the kindergarten department of special education schools be prepared,2) instructions be improved in accordance with the type and degree of handicap, and 3) vocational education at the upper secondary department be enriched.