H. No. 2678 / 65 OG No. 21, 5260 (May 26, 1969)

[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 5250, June 15, 1968 ]

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TEN-YEAR TRAINING PROGRAM FOR TEACHERS OF SPECIAL AND EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN IN THE PHILIPPINES AND AUTHORIZING THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS THEREFOR.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:SECTION 1. There is hereby established, under the administration and supervision of the Bureau of Public Schools, in cooperation with the University of the Philippines ten-year program for the training for teachers of special and exceptional children.SEC. 2. The term "special and exceptional children" shall include the mentally retarded, the crippled, the deaf and hard of hearing, the speech handicapped, the socially and emotionally disturbed and the gifted.SEC. 3. The institutions of learning chosen by the Department of Education to carry out the training of teachers for this program shall grant the necessary credit.SEC. 4. All expenses to be  incurred therefor,  such as tuition and other fees,  and stipends  of teacher trainees shall be charged against the funds of the program and shall be disbursed by the Director of Public Schools.SEC. 5. The program shall as far as practicable, include the setting up of pilot classes for special and exceptional children in regular schools with the end in view of integrating said children  into the regular school program and  of encouraging socialization.The program shall set up projects in such a way that special education shall be conducted within the facilities of regular schools whenever possible.The program shall also set up research and survey projects to identify and locate exceptional children in need of its services.SEC. 6. A number of scholarships shall be created every year for ten years for prospective teachers who shall undertake the training courses. The coordinator of the program shall see to it that scholarship grantees and teachers trainees under the program are intellectually and emotionally prepared to handle  special  education.SEC. 7. The Secretary of Education shall issue such rules and regulations and shall employ such specialists, as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this Act.SEC. 8. The sum of three hundred fifty thousand pesos is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any funds, in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated to carry out the provisions of this Act for the fiscal year nineteen hundred and sixty-eight. Thereafter, such sums as are necessary for the operation of said training pro­gram shall be included in the annual General Appropria­tions Act.SEC. 9. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.Approved, June 15, 1968.

Source: Supreme Court E-Library