The Bhutanese Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Special Olympic Games Bhutan (SOB) on December 21, 2025. This marks an important milestone in the MoESD’s commitment to expand inclusive sports within its education system and strengthen inclusive education for students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in partnership with SOB. This partnership reflects Bhutan’s growing leadership in promoting social inclusion through sports and education.
The announcement took place during the opening ceremony of the first national SOB competition among Unified Champion Schools® (UCS). UCS is a program that uses sports to create an inclusive school climate by uniting students with and without IDD through Unified Sports, leadership development and whole-school involvement.
Blessed by Her Excellency Lyonpo Yeezang De Thapa, Minister of Education and Skills Development, the ceremony launched three days of competition involving 271 students from 9 inclusive schools, who participated in Athletics, Jeu de boulesand Indoor football. These events are held under the Special Olympics Unified Sports model, where students with and without IDD play sports together.
The energy and enthusiasm of the students reflected the sentiment shared by Dasho Dechen Wangmo, President of Special Olympics Bhutan: “It is a defining moment for Bhutan, where our values and our national spirit of compassion guide us to become a regional model for inclusion.” She added: “The broad support from government, civil society and international partners reflects our shared belief that every individual deserves the opportunity to shine.”
This MOU outlined a long-term vision to expand UCS programming, deepen workforce capacity and strengthen a culture of inclusion, in line with the MoESD’s inclusive education policy.
Her Excellency, the Minister of Education and Skills Development, shared: “This partnership reinforces our commitment to creating nurturing school environments in which every child can participate meaningfully. We are taking an important step towards deeper regional and global initiatives based on shared learning and collective responsibility.”
This initiative is supported by strong collaboration between national and international partners including MoESD, Bhutan Olympic Committee, Bhutan Paralympic Committee, SELWA, UNICEF Bhutan, Indian Embassy in Bhutan, Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation For Humanity, Lions Clubs International Foundation, Special Olympic Games Bharat (India)And Asia-Pacific Special Olympics.
Together, these organizations work toward the shared goal of ensuring that students with IDD are fully included in school and community life. This MOU represents a significant step forward in Bhutan’s inclusive education journey and lays the foundation for the MoESD’s further involvement and alignment with the Special Olympics Global Coalition for Inclusion.
The Global Coalition for Inclusion brings together governments, civil society, international organizations and the private sector to support inclusive education by using programs like Unified Champion Schools® and Unified Sports® to translate inclusive policies into practical, sustainable actions in schools and communities, helping students with and without IDD learn, play and belong together.
MoESD states that it is noteworthy that the MoESD, under the education policy, supports sports and physical activity (SPA) activities as an integral part of school education, aimed at the holistic development of students and enriching their learning experience. The addition of the UCS programs under the Special Olympics initiative will complement and strengthen this effort by providing structured and targeted opportunities for children with and without IDD to participate together. This approach not only increases students’ ability to enjoy SPA, but also promotes an active, healthy lifestyle in a fully inclusive environment, promoting social integration, teamwork and mutual respect, while ensuring that every child remains engaged, active and valued.
A representative of UNICEF Bhutan added: “This partnership embodies the spirit of collective action. UNICEF is committed to supporting the rollout of this MoU in Bhutan’s schools as it works towards its ambitious goals.”
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