Presentation on “Education for All: Making Inclusion a Reality”

1. By Dr Bishnu Maya Dhungana (Nepal) Joanne Webber (Australia) Sainimili Tawake (Fiji) The World Report on Disability: Implications for Asia and The Pacific University of Sidney 5-6 December 2011 Presentation on “Education for All: Making Inclusion a Reality”

2. Education for All: Making Inclusion a Reality Current Situation • Although international instruments state that primary education should be free and compulsory for all children without any forms of discrimination, most children with disabilities still excluded from primary education in most developing countries • Even empirical data from World Report on Disability and other pocket sources showed that there is a slight improvement mostly for persons with physical, sensory and other mild disabilities receiving education • Persons with intellectual, severe and multiple disabilities far behind from primary education, higher education out of their reach (p. 207) • In most cases schools are not accessible socially and physically, no flexible curriculum, no trained teachers, lifelong learning process missing…

3. Education for all: Making Inclusion a Reality Current situation contd. • Good collaboration between education department, schools, DPOs, donors still remains very weak in practice • MDG2 only focuses for universal primary education but has not gone beyond, missing secondary and higher education • Over the years CBR Progammes taking initiative: expanding their programmes, working with the education sector, making family, community/local authority involve, still unable to cover a larger population due to various seen/unseen barriers • Educational status of girls/women with disabilities not noticeable due to their gender and disability, remains the lowest priority when resources are limited

4. Education for All: Making Inclusion a Reality Barriers blocking education for children/adults with disabilities • Attitudinal barriers • Communication barriers • Physical barriers • Inadequate resources • Ineffective national legislation and policies • Poverty

5. Education for All: Making Inclusion a Reality • Gaps and Research Priorities • Attitude towards disability • Self awareness and self-advocacy • Family support • Teacher training in inclusive education • Poverty: survival needs • Recognizing and addressing individual differences & abilities • Improve partnership and interest from international donors • System wide inclusion at policy and practice level • Motivation and commitment from concern authorities • Sometimes too much focus on adopting international human right instruments rather than exploring what works in national/local context

6. Education for All: Making Inclusion a Reality Recommendation • Advocacy for inclusive education still needs to address attitudinal, physical, cultural, social and political barriers; CBR programme can play a significant role by working with children/adult with disabilities, parents, DPOs, local authorities and education department • Emphasis should give beyond MDG 2 on primary education and promote lifelong learning opportunities because ability of each person differs • Voices of children/adults with disabilities and parents must be heard

7. “Nothing about us without all of us” Thank you!