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ri Wahyuni, a biology teacher at state junior high school SMP 226 in South Jakarta was speaking to her class of ninth-graders about genetics. Throughout the lesson, she would occasionally approach a table at the front row to ask a student named Ferdy Agung Prayoga if he was able to keep up.

Wahyuni also recited the main points of the topic to Ferdy several times in a softer voice so other students would not get distracted.

Ferdy is the only student with special needs in a class of 36. He suffers from low vision, which makes it difficult for him to follow the lessons at the same pace as his classmates.

“Sometimes I can’t keep up with the others,” he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

However, he feels grateful that his classmates, especially those sitting next to him, are happy to help him take pictures of materials and explain to him the teacher’s writing on the whiteboard.

Ferdy is one of 19 students with a learning, physical or developmental disability studying in 24 classes across three grades at SMPN 226.

The school was among the earliest in Jakarta to implement an inclusive learning program and integrate students with special needs into its classrooms.

“We started our integration program in 1994,” said Florentina Atik Purwatmini, the school’s inclusive education coordinator.

No special teachers are assigned to these classes. Each teacher has 36 students.

Atik conceded that teachers had to make the extra effort to ensure their special needs students can follow the lessons.

“We set different standards for special needs students,” Atik said. “For students with autism or learning disabilities, we modify the curriculum.”

The school aims to foster an inclusive culture among students. At the start of every school year during orientation, new students are told about their special needs classmates and encouraged to be supportive and show empathy.

The 2009 Education and Culture Ministry regulation on inclusive education stipulates students with special needs have the right to inclusive education. Children with special needs can enroll in any state school through the inclusion program, which also opens the door for children from low-income families and orphans.

The Jakarta administration has also pushed for state schools to welcome those with special needs. The city has provided a quota of two seats per class for special needs students in each state school in the capital, said Jakarta Education Agency (Diknas) head Bowo Irianto.

“This has been implemented in all schools. If a school disobeys, we will summon the principal for an explanation.”

According to the agency, 933 students with special needs are currently enrolled in state schools, comprising 226 students in elementary schools, 531 in junior high schools, 70 in high schools and 106 students in vocational high schools.

Although the administration has adopted inclusive education, challenges remain.

“In reality, not all teachers have the capabilities and skills to run the inclusive education model,” said Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan.

The education agency recorded that of the 820 teachers who studied special needs education, almost all were employed at schools for the disabled.

Yanti Adara from West Jakarta said she heavily considered the qualifications of a school’s teachers before enrolling her gifted 4-year-old son.

“I have to make sure that the teachers can handle children like my son,” she aid.

She conceded that she was inclined to trust private schools more than state schools. Better facilities and student-teacher ratio are among her primary concerns.

Many schools in Jakarta are still inadequately equipped to teach students with special needs, said Doni Koesoema, an education expert from Nusantara Multimedia University.

“Schools have to provide trained teachers to make reasonable adjustments for students with special needs and to foster an inclusive culture among their peers,” Doni said. (stu)