Panama is failing to advance at the necessary pace to ensure an inclusive education for students with disabilities, according to a new regional report from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The findings, released in the report “Towards an Education Without Barriers,” indicate that while legal frameworks exist, their implementation in classrooms remains inconsistent and insufficient for thousands of children and adolescents.
The data comes from the Regional Educational Information System for Students with Disabilities (Siried 2024). It paints a picture of a country stuck in the middle of regional rankings, neither among the most lagging nations nor those leading the way. UNESCO places Panama in a group with a “moderate presence” of students with disabilities in mainstream schools, a situation characterized by uneven access and sporadic support.
“Inclusion is not a slogan, but an obligation of States. It is not enough for school doors to be open: we must tear down the physical, pedagogical, cultural and social barriers that still prevent millions of girls, boys and young people with disabilities from learning and participating fully,” said Esther Kuisch Laroche, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago, Chile. [Translated from Spanish]
The report underscores a critical obstacle to effective policy making: a severe lack of comprehensive data. Panama only has complete statistics for the primary school level. No consolidated figures exist for lower or upper secondary education. This statistical gap, described by UNESCO as a form of “invisibility,” makes it difficult to measure shortfalls and direct resources where they are most needed.
A Diagnosis of Incomplete Data and Delayed Students
Household surveys included in the analysis reveal another layer of concern. The reported prevalence of disability among children and adolescents in Panama remains below regional averages. Only 1.7% of children aged 2 to 5 are identified with a disability, a figure that rises to 1.9% for ages 6 to 11 and 2.2% for ages 12 to 17. Experts caution these low identification rates may not indicate fewer cases but could point to underreporting, difficulties accessing diagnosis, or barriers to early detection.
One of the report’s most sensitive indicators is “sobreedad,” or educational lag. This measures students who are behind their expected grade level, often due to a lack of timely support, grade repetition, or late school entry. In Panama, the numbers are stark. Some 22.1% of students with disabilities are one year behind, while 20.3% are two or more years behind. Combined with another category in the regional analysis, the total rate of students experiencing lag reaches a troubling 32.3%.
This means at least one in three students with disabilities is not progressing through school at the expected pace. The lag is a clear warning sign. It denotes supports that arrive too late or not at all, schools lacking adequate resources, and curricular adaptations that rely more on individual teacher effort than on sustained systemic policy.
Academic performance shows consistent gaps as well. Panama follows a regional pattern where approval rates for students with disabilities are consistently lower than for their peers without disabilities. Rates of grade repetition and school abandonment follow the same discouraging trend. The report also highlights a gender gap, with girls with disabilities being underrepresented in classrooms, especially in the early years, which impacts their future opportunities.
The Path Forward Requires Systemic Change
The UNESCO analysis moves beyond diagnosis to frame the issue as an ethical imperative. True inclusive education requires more than enrollment. It demands full participation, accessible materials, dedicated accompaniment, and conditions that allow for equal learning. The current Panamanian model, the report suggests, often falls short on these core requirements.
For families, the daily reality involves navigating bureaucracies to secure basic accommodations. Teachers frequently must reinvent their daily plans without sufficient tools or training to ensure no student is left behind. Students themselves persevere in their desire to learn despite facing obstacles that should not exist in an equitable system.
The immediate next steps for Panama, as outlined by the report’s implications, are clear. Closing the crippling data gap is a non-negotiable first step. Effective planning and resource allocation are impossible without a complete statistical picture of the student population across all grade levels. Secondly, addressing the high rate of educational lag requires a targeted intervention strategy. This would focus on early support, preventing repetition, and ensuring timely entry into the education system.
Ultimately, the report from UNESCO serves as a powerful reminder. Legal promises must translate into classroom reality. Building a truly inclusive education system demands moving beyond moderate presence and toward full, supported participation for every student in Panama.