Need of the hour: Inclusive education for differently-abled children
Disabilities can be challenging for poor, indigenous,minority,refugee and rural children in Pakistan
TSAPK (Technical Services Association Pakistan) is a non-governmental charitable organization, providinng quality education to the needy and poor differently-abled margnalized strata of the society, so they can learn and start to earn themselves. Their objective is to empower them with professional skills. With these people trained, they can support their families who live in rural villages and outskirts of cities. This opportunity lets them earn in a dignified manner while living a better and a happier life than before.
Technical Services Association Inclusive Kindergarten Program was started in Lahore in 2016 which enables children aged 3 to 5-1/2 with mild to moderate disabilities and those without disabilities to learn together. When these children are six years old they can join regular schools according to their parents’ wishes. The TSA team hopes that this pilot can help underline the importance of inclusive education, and offer significant breakthrough in education for children facing these circumstances.
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Over 30 years around the world, the concept and practice of inclusive education for children with disabilities has grown from minimal awareness to a recognized component of schools. Yet there is widespread confusion in societies about definitions of “inclusion”. Inclusive education should manifest that all children are accepted members of their school community, where their educational setting is the same as their non-disabled peers, whenever appropriate.
Disabilities can be especially challenging for poor, indigenous, minority, refugee and rural children in Pakistan but the stabilizing power of inclusive quality education can change that. Getting children into schools is the first step. The Government must formulate its Education Policy in accordance with the spirit of Article 24 of UNCRPD and Article 25A of the Constitution of Pakistan.
The Sindh Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Act 2018 is the first sincere and meaningful effort in Pakistan to give effect to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) which defines inclusive education as “a system of education wherein students with and without disabilities learn together and the system of teaching and learning is suitably adapted to meet the learning needs of different types of students with disabilities”.
As much as inclusion means acceptance, it implies a commitment to cultivating relationships across student peers, parents, siblings, families and the larger community. According to this mainstreaming approach, schools are required to educate students with disabilities in regular classrooms with their non-disabled peers, to the maximum degree to which appropriate. It is recommended that children with low or medium level disabilities should not study in segregated environment at all. Special education schools will still be needed to cater to children with severe or profound disabilities.
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They have a number of programs and activities designed to take care of children with special needs. These children are not with special needs but have special abilities. Photos: TSAPK
Inclusive integrated education brings numerous benefits for both, students with and without disabilities. The benefits of inclusion for students with disabilities is greater social interaction; increased ability to develop friendships, more relationships and stronger networks; engagement with peer role models for academic, social and behavioral skills. In addition, increased achievement of Individualized Education Program goals; greater access to general curriculum; enhanced skill acquisition and generalization; increased inclusion in future environments; greater opportunities for interactions; higher expectations; increased school staff collaboration; increased parent participation; and more family integration into the community.
In the same way, the benefits of educating students without disabilities in inclusive institutions are meaningful friendships; increased appreciation and acceptance of individual differences; increased understanding of diversity; respect for all people; preparation of all students for adult life in a society that accommodates variant abilities; sensitivity to marginalization; opportunities to master activities by practicing and teaching others; greater academic outcomes; all students’ needs are better met; greater resources for everyone; and efficient use of resources for all.
The benefits of inclusion for students with disabilities is greater social interaction; increased ability to develop friendships, more relationships and stronger networks; engagement with peer role models for academic, social and behavioral skills. In addition, increased achievement of Individualized Education Program goals; greater access to general curriculum; enhanced skill acquisition and generalization; increased inclusion in future environments; greater opportunities for interactions; higher expectations; increased school staff collaboration; increased parent participation; and more family integration into the community.
Looking at the prospects of inclusive education in Pakistan there is a strong foundation to build on.
The Parliament of Pakistan added Article 25A to the Constitution of Pakistan eight years ago which promises “free and compulsory education” to all children between five and sixteen years of age. Since then, provincial governments have focused on enrollment to get more children into schools.
Yet, 15 to 20 percent of all children remain out of school. It is very likely that large number among these children are with disability— it is reasonable that these children cannot access the typical enrollment drive incentives. These circumstances are a compelling argument in favour of more emphasis on inclusive education. Most of the inclusive education programs in Pakistan are still in the preliminary stage, however, provincial governments are poised to scale them up in the coming years.
Under goal 4 of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Pakistan is obliged to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Target 4a of SDGs specifically calls ending discrimination and inequalities on the basis of disability. In March 2018, in the outcome report of Pakistan’s third Universal Periodic Review in Geneva, Albania encouraged Pakistan to ensure quality education for all children through inclusive policies.
Article 23 of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child makes the state responsible in ensuring that all children with mental or physical disability can enjoy a full and decent life with the assurance of their dignity, self-reliance and active participation in the community.
The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child reviewing Pakistan’s compliance on the 5th periodic report recommended Pakistan to increase its efforts to reduce discrimination against disabled children and encourage their inclusion into society.
Under goal 4 of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Pakistan is obliged to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. Target 4a of SDGs specifically calls ending discrimination and inequalities on the basis of disability. In March 2018, in the outcome report of Pakistan’s third Universal Periodic Review in Geneva, Albania encouraged Pakistan to ensure quality education for all children through inclusive policies.
Disabilities can be especially challenging for poor, indigenous, minority, refugee and rural children in Pakistan but the stabilizing power of inclusive quality education can change that. Getting children into schools is the first step. The Government must formulate its Education Policy in accordance with the spirit of Article 24 of UNCRPD and Article 25A of the Constitution of Pakistan. The state must demonstrate its commitment to ensure that all the learners with disabilities acquire knowledge and skills without any discrimination. It must also be ensured that all learners with disabilities acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development through education for sustainable lifestyle, human rights, promotion of peace, non-violence and global citizenship.
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To this end, the state should prioritize the establishment of the provincial inclusive education task force, with a mandate of monitoring of inclusive education in the provinces. Provincial governments should treat inclusive education as a holistic endeavor, integrating special needs education under the umbrella of education, because having a separate department of special education serves as the foundation for stratification and neglect. Regular schools must be open and friendly to admit all children in their milieu. The curricula for teachers should be refurbished to align it with the inclusive approach.
All public spaces including schools, parks, roads, footpaths, railway stations, airports and waterways should be modified according to the Accessibility Code of Pakistan, 2006. Efficient ways need to be developed for enhancing capacity of the service providers of inclusive education at national, provincial, and district level so that they can effectively reach out to the schools and communities. An active collaboration of parents, teachers, community and government is required to ensure the educational rights of all children.
Finally, the system of education at large should be made inclusive by providing support to the schools, teachers and families in order to achieve relevant and effective learning outcome from differently abled children.
By Nabila Feroz
