We wanted to establish a continuum of inclusive education in Chinsali zone, Muchinga Province, spanning early childhood development and education, primary and secondary education and technical and vocational education. This is because children with disabilities have been left out of school and those that would enrol in school would drop out at a young age due to the barriers that hinder them from participating in education on an equal basis with their peers. Large numbers of children with disabilities are unable to access education and vocational training in Zambia. Large numbers of children with disabilities also leave school early or are unable to transition between different levels of education. Therefore, the project aims at addressing all the above-mentioned challenges.
We have broken down many barriers faced by children with disabilities. We started by promoting inclusive education in one district in Muchinga Province working with various stakeholders: community members/structures, education service providers, and learners. We now work in all 8 districts in the province. We have focused on working with Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) to strongly advocate for the rights of learners and people with disabilities in general. This has given the local OPDs even more of a voice than before to work locally and at national level. Gender equality is promoted, with a strong focus on girls and youth with disabilities, who face high levels of discrimination and exclusion. They were supported with menstrual hygiene kits, adapted washrooms, making them accessible for learners with disabilities and ensuring availability of piped water where possible. Communities and policymakers were engaged to advocate for disability inclusion, to create an enabling environment and to develop a scalable and cost-effective model that can be replicated in other regions. Yes, there is evidence based on the number of learners that have been enrolled in the project schools and the teachers who have been trained and they are now using the knowledge that they acquired through teacher training to teacher learners with disabilities in their schools more inclusively. The project uses technology such as assistive devices and teaching and learning aids.
We believe in sustainability so work with existing structures and organisations. Main achievements: enrolment of 1017 children with disabilities, 460 teachers trained in inclusion, 611 assistive devices provided, 22 schools made more accessible. We are scaling up the low-cost model across the province and are working with Government to see how this approved training can spread. Via social behaviour change activities, communities are now key drivers in identification, enrolment of children with disabilities. Parent Support Groups are generating income to support children’s education. Parents have been linked to the local authority and are accessing the Constituency Development Fund which has helped to support learners with disabilities at all levels of education. The project has brought a thriving relationship between education service providers, the community and other stakeholders who have put the learner at the centre of the education circle.
We have brought Zambia Police and Traditional healers on board as we realised that these are important stakeholders. Zambia Police through the Community Service Directorate we have been working with them to educate community members and education service providers on what the law says under the Children's Code Act that came into law in 2022. While traditional healers we brought them on board so that we can work together in the promotion of inclusive education through sensitisation and disability awareness.
The starting point would be the identifying the key stakeholders and involve them in the design, implementation and monitoring of the project. We emphasise the need to work with the community structures if you are to make your project a success, including Organisations of Persons with Disabilities to advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities. Please contact Sightsavers Zambia and the Ministry of Education in Zambia to access the materials and learn more. You need to have a participatory design of the project, all key stakeholders (CYWDS, the Community leaders/structures, education Service providers and other CSOs etc) need to be involved in the design, implementation and monitoring of the project. An SBC co-creation workshop is key; sensitisation of the key community gate keepers in disability, IE and safeguarding helps in anchoring the identification of CYWDs and support them in schools, working in close collaboration with the MoE at all levels ensures alignment of project activities with the national framework and ownership of the programme by the MoE and consequently the government. Mapping of key stakeholders through baseline is important as IE delivery requires a multisectoral approach. Timely feedback to all key stakeholders is important. You need to form a strong network of Organisations of Persons with Disabilities so that you can work with that network in advocacy and identification of children and youth with disabilities who may be out of school.
