The Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture organized the event “Tejiendo redes para la diversidad y la inclusión” to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The event was held in cooperation with UNESCO and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
The gathering aimed to highlight the impact of public policies promoted by the national government through this ministry, emphasizing progress made through joint efforts and projects that support educational inclusion for students with specific needs related or unrelated to disabilities.
The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed annually on December 3, following its proclamation by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992. The day seeks to promote rights, well-being, and full participation of people with disabilities in all areas of life.
During the event, Juan Carlos Rodríguez, Vice Minister of Educational Management, stated: “Inclusive education strengthens the quality and relevance of the educational system by valuing and addressing diversity. Thanks to appropriate measures and resources, we promote personal, intellectual, social, and emotional development for each student. This includes identifying, evaluating, and adapting curricular approaches that respond to their pace, motivation, interests, and creativity, thus enabling more meaningful learning for everyone.”
Tatiana Villegas, UNESCO representative in Ecuador, said: “We aspire for all people without exception to access quality education throughout their lives. To achieve this goal it is essential to strengthen inclusion and remove economic, geographic and accessibility barriers. UNESCO reports show that by ensuring inclusive educational environments—especially for people with disabilities—gaps that often begin at an early age are reduced. With these efforts more young people aged 15 to 29 can remain in the education system and fully exercise their right to learn.”
Currently there are 135 schools nationwide offering specialized educational services for 9,718 students with specific educational needs associated with disability.
The Ministry also promotes services focused on comprehensive care for students with specific educational needs through inclusion teams and Pedagogical Resource Centers. These centers develop technical and pedagogical strategies designed to support all students’ development within the National Education System.
Through these actions the national government reaffirms its commitment to equal opportunities and building a more inclusive education system that respects diversity.
