Every child deserves to walk through a classroom door and feel they belong. Yet for millions of children with developmental disabilities, that simple reality remains out of reach. Recent research by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) on inclusive early learning in Kenya asked the question “What does inclusion look like when the classroom door closes?”.
The findings of the research offer a clear-eyed snapshot of where we stand today and a roadmap toward a future where every child truly belongs. The children with developmental disabilities are not waiting for a future where they can belong. They are ‘here’ now. They are in our communities and ready to learn. The question for us – as educators, policymakers, and researchers – is whether we are ready to build education systems that are ready for them.