Special education should be added to teacher training curricula: Liu Fei

Liu Fei, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Beijing Committee and president of Fangcaodi International School, proposed that special education teachers should be given attention and security to and universities should include special education courses into regular teacher training curricula and establish relevant majors to cultivate more special education teachers.

Liu expressed that relevant departments should ensure that schools have quotas for enrolling special education teachers.

As for how much it needs for a student receiving special education every year, Li gave an answer after survey: between 60,000 to 100,000 yuan (USD 8,705 to 14,508). “It is a fairly high cost for both school and family,” said Liu. He suggested schools or relevant departments set up special funds to ensure students with special educational needs can enjoy proper education.

Liu also advised that relevant department first offer budgeted posts to special education teachers. As for the current shortage of special education teachers, Liu proposed that special education content should be adopted in the regular curricula for education majors in colleges and universities and special education related majors be added to universities if the conditions permit to cultivate special education talents and serve children in need.