March 21, 2023

To commemorate World Down Syndrome Day, the Foundation handed over 17 Brigance test sets, 19 Pre-referral Intervention Manuals (PRIM), and 20 record books to the Department of School Education under the Ministry of Education and Skills Development. These books will be distributed to new schools that have the Special Educational Needs (SEN) program in Bhutan.

Early screening and interventions are critical for children with disabilities, but not every school in Bhutan has a SEN program. The Ministry is currently rolling out the SEN program to more schools in the country.  In collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, these new screening and adaptation tools will allow such schools to identify better and strategize support for their children with disabilities. 

As the theme of this year’s World Down Syndrome Day advocates “With Us Not For Us,” people with Down Syndrome and any other disabilities must be involved in decision-making in their schools, workplaces and at the policy level. The first step toward this goal is an early intervention that gives disabled children the tools and agency they need to take control of their lives into adulthood.

#worlddownsyndromeday #withusnotforus