89. Authorities are unable to provide an estimate of children with disabilities that remain outside the domain of national disability registry, thus it is difficult to ascertain number of children denied of education rights due to a disability.148Available statistics show that 5769 children with disabilities benefited from government’s welfare system from 2008 to 2014.149 While children with mild to moderate disabilities are faced with issues of access to education, those with more severe disabilities like cerebral palsy or autism, often do not attend school at all.150Although there are plans for home schooling for such children, it is has not been developed yet.151 90. Government initiated the establishment of Special Education Needs Units (SEN) within mainstream schools for children with disabilities with the objective to prepare children for entry into regular classes as far as possible.152 SEN classes are for students with relatively noticeable support needs who were otherwise not able to participate in education. Selected students were encouraged into mainstream classes in addition to their separate SEN classes, but were not often getting ideal support from mainstream teachers.153 91. Presently, a special allowance of MVR 100 (US $ 6) per working day is allocated for Special Education Needs teachers.154 Additionally a ratio of one teacher for every 6 children are designated for different categories for example every 6 children, 1 teacher is designated for mild and moderate disabilities and a teacher is designated for every child with severe and profound disabilities.155 92. Schools are provided with MVR 2500 (US $162) for the implementation of individual Educational Plan (IEP) to each student with disability.156According to school statistics published by Ministry of Education a total of 1279 students were enrolled in SEN classes from 2008 to 2014. While there is a separate class (SEN) established in the capital city for children with visual impairment, hearing impairment and for children with multiple disabilities, the pace of establishment of SEN classes in the Atolls was rather gradual. So far 22 SEN classes were established in 12 atolls to increase accessibility to education for children with disabilities.157The issue of access to education for children with disabilities is a disheartening reality faced by many parents specially living in atolls. 93. Many parents of children with disabilities living in islands remain unhappy with the need to move to Male’ for education of their children.158 There have been instances at the island level where parents of children with disabilities are advised by the schools in their community to seek admittance to SEN specialist pilot schools in Male’ which focused on that particular disability. For example indication of providing education for children with certain disabilities is considered too specialized for ordinary schools, even though issues raised by admitting these particular children involved quite basic arrangement such as allocation of a ground floor class room or enabling library access for children with physical disability or provide assistance in transmitting of textual information to visually impaired child while requesting for Braille facilities to local schools.159The fact that children with disabilities can continue education even if they are overage for a grade is an encouraging attribute. However, SEN specialist schools in Male’ had reported pressures on ability to enroll SEN students in their specialist programmes, particularly as many of their SEN students were overage thus vacant positions were not being opened up..160 94. At present SEN classes offer vocational programs but it is not accredited or examined161. Vocational Education Training schools exist but do not seem have affirmative measures for persons with disabilities.162 And since opportunities for study after leaving school for children with disabilities are limited, many lose the skills learned in SEN classes.163 95. Budgetary issues remain as one of the core challenges to implement the legislative and policy framework that guarantees the right to education for children with disabilities. It is a reality that children with disabilities remain marginalized in the education system due to lack of facilities and academic programs that enable them to develop their full potential. Education system is deficient in trained teachers in this field and most teachers also lack capacity for early detection of children requiring special assistance for learning.164 Page 23 of 39