MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – ‘Aisyiyah conducted a national webinar on “Developing Disability Service Units (ULD) in Education and Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration in Inclusive Education.” Taking place at the ‘Aisyiyah headquarters, Yogyakarta, on Friday, May 9, the webinar aimed to promote better access to inclusive education across Indonesia.
The webinar highlighted ‘Aisyiyah’s ongoing efforts to provide equal learning opportunities for all children, especially those with disabilities, by strengthening Disability Service Units in schools nationwide.
General Secretary of ‘Aisyiyah, Tri Hastuti Nur Rochimah emphasized that caring for vulnerable and marginalized groups has always been part of ‘Aisyiyah core mission.
“Caring for vulnerable and marginalized groups is at the heart of ‘Aisyiyah identity. Long before special education schools became widespread in Indonesia, Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisyiyah had already taken the initiative to establish schools for children with disabilities,” said Tri.
Tri also pointed out the need for better education policies that address real challenges, such as the shortage of trained teachers in inclusive classrooms.
“Education policies for our children must be well-integrated. One major issue we face is the lack of trained teachers. That’s why we need more training programs for teachers who can work with children with special needs,” explained Tri.
Tri stressed that the main goal of inclusive education is to ensure every child has access to quality education regardless of their background or abilities.
“This is a key issue that ‘Aisyiyah continues to work on. When we talk about inclusive education in a broader sense, it means making sure all children, not just those with special needs, can access education,” added Tri.
Tri also encouraged everyone to work together to make education accessible and meaningful for all.
“Let’s work together and give every child, no matter their background or identity, a chance to experience proper, high-quality education,” said Tri.
