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0) To enable and empower all teachers, including those with disabilities, parents,
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guardians, and family members by training and equipping them with capabilities to
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detect, refer or intervene concerning disorders, disabilities, and abilities of the learners;
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(k) To train and equip all teachers, including child development teachers and
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workers, principals, administrators, non-teaching staff of the school, sign language
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interpreters, parents, and guardians, as partners in the primary care, development,
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education, and advancement of learners with disabilities;
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(I) To increase school retention and cohort survival of learners with disabilities;
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(m) To establish an effective consultative mechanism that will actively involve
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learners with disabilities, when appropriate, and their representative organizations in the
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implementation of this Act and in resolving issues relating to it; and
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(n) To ensure the inclusion of the Filipino Sign Language as the first language (LI)
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or mother tongue of the deaf learners under Republic Act (R.A.) No. 10533 or the
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"Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013".
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Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following shall be defined as
follows:
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(a) Basic Education refers to education intended to meet basic learning needs that
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provide the foundation for subsequent learning. It encompasses kindergarten,
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elementary, and secondary education of learners with disabilities.
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(b) Child Development Centers (CDCs) are the day care centers established in
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every barangay under R.A. No. 6972 or the 'Barangay-Level Total Development and
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Protection of Children Act" and converted to CDCs under R.A. No. 10410, otherwise
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known as the "Early Years Act (EYA) of 2013". CDCs are implementing health, nutrition,
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early education, and social services development programs that provide for the basic
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holistic needs of learners with disabilities below five (5) years old to promote their
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optimum growth and development. These also include national CDCs as provided in R.A.
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No. 10410.
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(c) Child Find System (CFS) refers to the system of identification, location, and
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evaluation of all learners with disabilities who are not receiving basic education services
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for purposes of facilitating their inclusion into the general basic education system. It