Children with disabilities have the same rights as able children. They have the same ambitions and dreams for their futures as able children. They also need quality education to develop their skills and to realise their full potential.
Yet, children with disabilities are often overlooked in policymaking, limiting their access to education and their ability to participate in social, economic and political life. Worldwide, these children are among the most likely to be out of school. They face persistent barriers to education stemming from discrimination, stigma and the routine failure of decision-makers to incorporate disability in school services.
Inclusive education means all children in the same classrooms, in the same schools. It means real learning opportunities for groups who have traditionally been excluded – not only children with disabilities but speakers of minority languages too. Inclusive education allows students of all backgrounds to learn and grow side by side, to the benefit of all.
Inclusive systems value the unique contributions students of all backgrounds bring to the classroom and allow diverse groups to grow side by side, to the benefit of all. Inclusive systems require changes at all levels of society. But progress is slow.
Here are four key areas Unicef promotes inclusive education:
1. Advocacy: Promoting inclusive education in discussions, high-level events and other forms of outreach geared towards policymakers and the general public.
2. Awareness-raising: Unicef shines a spotlight on the needs of children with disabilities by conducting research and hosting roundtables, workshops and other events for government partners.
3. Capacity-building: Unicef builds the capacity of education systems in partner countries by training teachers, administrators and communities, and providing technical assistance to Governments.
4. Implementation support: Unicef assists with monitoring and evaluation in partner countries to close the implementation gap between policy and practice.