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[New report] Inclusive education in the Arab region

UNESCO Beirut recently published ‘Promoting the Inclusion of Children and Young People with Disabilities in Education in the Arab Region’. The report analyses inclusive education in Arabic-speaking countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and makes recommendations for future actions. The report focuses on persons with disabilities but recognises that other groups of learners are marginalised within or excluded from educational provision. It highlights progress achieved and still required and urges governments to take action.

Download the report in English and Arabic.

UNESCO report cover: Promoting the inclusion of children and young people with disabilities in education in the Arab region

**Deadline expired** Inclusive Education Specialist, Kenya, Humanity and Inclusion

Location: Kenya.

Duration: 12 months.

Application deadline: 12 December 2022.

Read the full job description.

 

Humanity and Inclusion is looking for an Inclusive Education Specialist to provide technical guidance, supervision, monitoring and support to the development, implementation and improvement of inclusive education programmes in Kenya.

Person specification:

  • Bachelor degree in Education (inclusive education a plus) or related degree.
  • Masters degree in Inclusive Education, Teaching and Learning, Curriculum Development, Education Policy Analysis, Child Development or any other related field an added advantage.
  • 5 years’ experience in education in development and/or in emergency, in designing technical tools and materials and providing capacity building in education projects.
  • Experience of working with persons with disabilities, especially children.
  • Experience in working with local government and international and local development partners for integrated, multi-sectoral inclusive education interventions.
  • Experience in advocacy is a plus.

Read the full job details and information on how to apply.

 

[New report] Missing in Climate Action

This report was launched to coincide with the recent COP27, UN Climate Change conference in Egypt. The full report title is ‘Missing in Climate Action: Stories of persons with disabilities from the Global South’. It shares the experiences of people with disabilities affected by the climate crisis in Madagascar and Bangladesh, and highlights that people with disabilities can play a significant role in tackling the climate crisis.

The report looks primarily at the impact on livelihoods, health and wellbeing and only mentions education in passing. But we’re sharing it because it offers an important look at how climate change affects the most vulnerable.

Climate change is an urgent issue none of us can ignore and we call on our readers to write about and share experiences and ideas relating to climate change and inclusive education. You write it, we’ll share it!

Front cover of Missing in Climate Action report

[Publication update] Advocacy Toolkit for Civil Society

Atlas Alliance recently released an update of their advocacy toolkit, first published in 2021. This revised edition is based on experiences from advocacy before, during and after the Global Disability Summit (GDS) that took place in February 2022.

The toolkit was developed with advocacy with the GDS and disability rights in mind but it can be used to guide human rights advocacy more broadly.

Download the Advocacy Toolkit for Civil Society (PDF).

Front cover of "Advocacy Toolkit for Civil Society"

[New project] EENET’s Arabic Language Community writer mentoring initiative

EENET’s Arabic Language Community has started an exciting new small project. Over the next 6 months we will support a group of education professionals from various countries in the Arab region to become effective and published authors on the topic of inclusive education.

The project was kick-started with two short e-workshops on 13 and 14 November 2022. Participants discussed and learned more about inclusive education, action research, critical thinking, communication skills, and practical tips for writing accessible short articles. During the next few months, with one-to-one support from EENET’s ALC Facilitator and peer support, they will conduct action research and draft easy-to-read articles about inclusive education in their contexts.

Ultimately, they will contribute to a short Arabic-language publication like the Enabling Education Review. Long-term we hope this group of action researchers and writers will help other stakeholders in their localities to document and share their inclusive education experiences and ideas.

EENET is keen to expand our writer mentoring project within and beyond the Arab region, so please contact us if you would be interested in supporting this work.

Transforming Education Summit – call to action on disability inclusion

The Transforming Education Summit in New York (16-19 September) is an opportunity for world leaders to commit to transforming education so that every child in the world can access quality, equitable, inclusive education and lifelong learning.

To coincide with this global event, International Disability and Development Consortium, International Disability Alliance, and Global Campaign for Education have a joint Call to Action on Transforming Education for Disability Inclusion.

Read more about the TES Inclusive Education Call to Action. (Word).

Sign the Call to Action.

 

Transforming Education Summit: Our call for world leaders

Author: Takyiwa Danso, Sightsavers, September 2022

We’re setting homework for global education leaders to protect the rights of children with disabilities. Here’s why we’re doing it.

World leaders and the international education community convene in New York on 19 September at the Transforming Education Summit (TES). The summit will mobilise political ambition, action and solutions to transform the future of education and accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) – inclusive and equitable education for all children and young people.

In preparation for the summit, over the last few months education ministers have been focusing on the key areas that need attention for transformative change in our education systems: inclusive, equitable, safe and healthy schools; learning and skills for life, work and sustainable development; teachers and the teaching profession; digital learning; and financing of education.

But while discussions have highlighted the many challenges faced by children and young people around the world, the 240 million children with disabilities are being forgotten. Widening inequalities, global austerity cuts to education budgets, the impacts of COVID-19 and climate change threaten the future of learning for all, but the impacts for children with disabilities are disproportionately higher.

A girl wearing glasses and a face mask sits in a class with other children. She raises her right hand. In front of her on the desk is a raised sloping book stand.

What is the issue?

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, children with disabilities were already among the most excluded from learning. Nearly 49% of children with disabilities worldwide were likely to have never attended school, and even if they did, they were usually less likely to progress or receive proper support within the school system. Girls with disabilities often experience double discrimination based on their gender and disability, facing even more barriers to participating fully in society.

We know pandemic-related school closures disrupted lives of millions of children around the world, but for many children with disabilities the impact has been devastating. Schools are integral to the life and wellbeing of all children, as places for learning, personal development, socialising and receiving other vital services including meals and hygiene care. But the sudden shift to remote schooling often left children with disabilities unable to continue learning and cut them from the benefits of the school environment.

Pre-existing digital inequalities have worsened. While more than 90% of countries offered some form of distance learning, at least 31% of children were unable to benefit from this due to limited access to internet and technology, inaccessible tools, or lack of access to tools.

Children with disabilities already faced numerous barriers to learning and by not including them in the pandemic recovery, they risk being left behind for good. The window of time to enact change and get back on track to achieve SDG4 is narrowing.

In the middle, a woman sits on the floor holding a card saying '5'. On the left a girl sits in a wheelchair, On the right a girl sits on the floor also holding a card that says '5'. The wall behind has the alphabet painted on.

What are we calling for at the summit and why?

Until now, there has been a lack of urgency to use the TES to demand more inclusive education systems. Sightsavers and partners are calling for world leaders to act now so that the 240 million children living with disabilities around the world can access their right to a quality, inclusive education.

We want to see world leaders deliver on their promise to ‘leave no one behind’ by ensuring disability inclusion is fully embedded into their national and global education plans. That’s why through our #DoYourHomework campaign we’re setting world leaders six pieces of homework to build an inclusive education system.

  1. Sociology homework: Include children with disabilities in mainstream education and collect data that includes everyone
  2. Economics homework: Invest in inclusive training, so that teachers can respond to diverse learning needs and develop flexible curriculums for all children
  3. Politics homework: Implement policies, plans and budgets to include and support children with disabilities
  4. Computing homework: Tackle the digital divide and ensure digital learning and other education technologies are accessible for all
  5. Maths homework: Allocate sustainable financing for inclusive education so that all children with disabilities can learn
  6. Design homework: Involve people with disabilities in all stages of inclusive education design and make sure their voices are heard

Through our education work, Sightsavers has demonstrated that change is possible and that when education systems are inclusive, children with disabilities can not only access school but can learn among their peers and thrive.

We have tested approaches that embed inclusive education at all levels of the education system including:

Governments must adopt these approaches and embed them in policy. Education transformation means doing things differently. Strong political leadership, sufficient financing, and the implementation of robust institutional frameworks founded on inclusion and equity are required to make quality education a reality for all children.

None of this is possible without the voices of people with disabilities at the helm of decision-making. The TES must ensure the full representation and participation of children and youth with disabilities, their families, and their networks. Their knowledge, expertise and experience are key to creating sustainable change.

Time is running out for us get on track to meet SDG4. Priorities defined at the TES have the potential to change the future of education. We’re looking to world leaders to do their homework to ensure education transformation is truly inclusive, so the 240 million children with disabilities worldwide are not left behind.

You can also find this blog on Sightsavers’ website.

* FREE * Short online courses from EENET

EENET has released 4 short online inclusive education courses based on our Inclusive Beginnings videos.

Two courses will help you learn about ‘inclusive practice in early childhood education’ and ‘inclusive transitions’. Two other courses provide some advice on how to use videos effectively in training and advocacy events.

The courses are available to everyone, anytime, free of charge. Everyone who finishes a course will get a certificate. There are also some WhatsApp groups for course participants to share ideas and experiences.

Snapshot of the 4 courses listed on the LearnLink home page.