China hits 97% enrollment rate for disabled students in compulsory education

BEIJING -- The enrollment rate of children and adolescents with disabilities in compulsory education in China has reached 97 percent, with over 30,000 disabled students entering universities each year, a senior official said Tuesday.

Cheng Kai, chairman of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, made the remarks at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office.

According to Cheng, China's education system for individuals with disabilities has undergone further improvement. Currently, 75,800 students with disabilities study in secondary vocational schools nationwide, while 59,800 attend regular high schools.

Li Dongmei, vice-chairperson of the federation, noted that China has taken multiple measures to facilitate such students' access to education.

For instance, a special campaign was launched to equip school campuses with assistive devices, benefiting nearly 100,000 students with disabilities. Standardized textbooks have been developed for special schools, as well as sign-language textbooks for nine subjects.

Financially, in 2025, the per capita subsidy for students with disabilities receiving compulsory education was increased to more than 7,000 yuan (about $980) per year. Those whose families have financial difficulties are eligible to receive 12 years of free education from primary school to senior high school.