Page 54 of 144
1 52 53 54 55 56 144

Malian refugees in Mauritania: education in an emergency context

 

Mauritania is the second host country for refugees fleeing Mali. Almost 55,000 people of the 135,000 who have fled Mali are now in Mauritania. Nearly 60% of those are children. As the conflict in Northern and Central Mali worsens, Aid Zone travelled to the Mbera refugee camp in Mauritania to see what is being done to educate the refugee minors there and protect them from forced marriage and child labour.

Seen from above, Mbera is a sea of tents and sand. 55,000 refugees have travelled the 60 kilometres from the border to get there. It is the only such camp for Malians in Mauritania.

Overcoming trauma

The flow of new arrivals into Mbera is constant. Two thirds of those in the camp children, meaning, after food and healthcare, education is vital.

«I’m happy because education means a lot to me. It lets me see the world differently,» explains Sadio, a Malian refugee.

Being able to attend class is crucial for students like Sadio. Otherwise girls in the camp face the prospect of being forced into marriage, while boys risk being sent off to work. On top of such dangers, many of these children have experienced considerable trauma before arriving in Mauritania.

«I was forced to marry when I was 15 years old. The marriage failed due to the fact that I had a very difficult pregnancy. After I survived that, my parents suggested I should leave for Mauritania,» Sadio says.

Now 17-years-old, Sadio is the mother of a two-year-old girl. She is at school thanks to the efforts of Rougui, a social worker with a local NGO financed by UNICEF. The project is funded by EU Humanitarian Aid.

Rougui Deme, a Social Work Assistant at the camp, said: «I asked: ‘Did you go to school?’ She told me: ‘Yes I went before’. I asked: ‘Are you married?’ She said: ‘I’m divorced’. I asked: ‘Do you want to go back to school?’ She said : ‘Yes’. I thought that a child who has a child is also a vulnerable child herself.»

5000 students in the camp are in school

Out of a total of 31,000 children in the camp, around 20,000 are of school age. There are eight primary schools for them. Such a large number of children is obviously a challenge for UNICEF and the UNHCR due to a lack of classrooms and teachers. In spite of that, over 5,000 students are receiving education.

«My parents didn’t go to school, so I will be the one who studies in order to achieve something,” one girl says.

Cheikou Wane, a Child Protection Officer working for Unicef at Mbera says: «Some children arrived in 2012. They were traumatised by what they had seen in Northern Mali. We help to re-integrate the children into school or, if they are older than school age, we place them in literacy or training centres.»

«Over 4,600 students were enrolled in primary school in the first few months of this school year. The numbers are lower in secondary school, with just over 300 enrolled. The challenge here at Mbera is to keep children in the classroom until secondary school. Last year around 50 students graduated.”

As part of efforts to educate the children in Mbera, the EU is helping to finance the building of new schools in the camp. According to EU Humanitarian Aid, providing education in emergencies is one of the best ways to invest in childrens’ long-term future.

«Education is one of the most underfunded sectors of humanitarian aid. First comes food, shelter, health, water; and education only gets 3 percent of global funding. So this is why the EU has decided to support this sector. And we have managed to increase from one to 10 percent of our humanitarian budget the share of funding that we dedicate to education,» says Isabel Coello from EU Humanitarian Aid.

Source of the review: https://www.euronews.com/2019/02/21/malian-refugees-in-mauritania-education-in-an-emergency-context

 

Comparte este contenido:

China to provide more equitable, higher-quality education

Asia/ China/ 05.02.2019/ Fuente: news.cgtn.com.

China will promote the integrated development of compulsory urban and rural education, and provide more equitable and higher-quality education for all, Premier Li Keqiang said on Tuesday.

Li made the remarks while delivering a government work report at the opening meeting of the second session of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC).

The Premier said that China will speed up improving conditions in rural schools, while at the same time address the problem of oversized classes in urban schools.

He also talked about ensuring access for children living with their migrant worker parents in cities, which has been an increasingly large problem, due to the expanding number of migrant workers who relocate from the countryside in order to work and live in the cities.

Internet Plus Education models will also be further developed, the premier said, so as to promote quality resource sharing.

“The government will support all kindergartens that meet safety standards, charge reasonable fees, and have the trust of parents, regardless of whether they are public or private,” Premier Li said in the government work report.

Meanwhile, he also vowed that the full payment of salary to teachers in compulsory education will be ensured as usual, and the country will also continue to support the development of world-class universities and disciplines.

The government’s budgetary spending on education will remain above four percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), and central government spending on education will exceed one trillion yuan (150 billion U.S. dollars).

The premier also vowed on intensifying efforts to promote art and literature, in order to enrich the intellectual and cultural life of the people.

Premier Li Keqiang said that China will put more effort into improving online content, as well as in developing the press, publishing, radio, film, television, and archiving industries.

He also talked about the protection and use of cultural relics, and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage, adding that intensified measures will be adopted in achieving that goal. The reform and development of cultural programs and industries will also be promoted, so as to increase the capacity of public cultural service s at the community level.

The spirit of “struggle”, “science” and the “role-model work ethic” as well as “the pursuit of fine workmanship” were highlighted in the work report, and fostering and practicing the core socialist values were emphasized.

 

Fuente de la noticia: https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d514d3045544d33457a6333566d54/index.html

Comparte este contenido:

Japanese language education vital for foreign residents to adjust to society

Asia/ Japan/ 04.03.2019/ Source: the-japan-news.com.

In preparation for an increase in foreign workers, it is indispensable to improve Japanese language education for them. The building of a relevant framework, such as establishing bases for study and ensuring the quality of instructors, must be accelerated.

The new types of residence status for “designated skills” will be established in April, with up to 340,000 foreign workers expected to be accepted into the country over the next five years.

It is necessary to encourage them to adjust smoothly to local communities and workplaces. While rooting out bureaucratic sectionalism at the ministries and agencies, the central government should take measures to support foreign workers, in cooperation with local governments and companies that will accept them. A situation in which foreigners form their own groups of compatriots and become socially isolated should be avoided.

The acquisition of Japanese language skills is key to their smooth adjustment. To obtain the new status, they need to attain the level of Japanese language necessary for daily living. It is important to enhance their language ability, even after their arrival in Japan, with the cooperation of their workplaces.

There are about 2,100 bases for foreigners living in Japan to learn the Japanese language, such as language schools and classes run by nonprofit organizations and local governments. But they are unevenly located, with many of them in urban areas, while about 60 percent of the local governments of cities, wards, towns and villages in the country have no such facilities.

Concern cannot be dispelled that foreign workers will flow out of rural areas into urban areas where wages are relatively high. Having no places for learning Japanese language may impede their settlement in rural areas.

Ensure quality teaching

To eliminate areas devoid of language-learning facilities, the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry will assign coordinators to prefectural governments and ordinance-designated major cities, starting in fiscal 2019. They are tasked with crafting educational programs suited to local communities, while giving advice and guidance to local classes of Japanese language. Such endeavors should be promoted steadily.

The utilization of public-run evening junior high schools is also important. Originally, the evening classes were attended mainly by Japanese people who for a variety of reasons had not completed their compulsory education. But now foreigners account for 80 percent of the students.

In expectation of an increase in foreign manpower, the government aims at increasing evening school courses, which are currently available at 31 schools in Tokyo and seven other prefectures, by having them established in all the prefectures. Financial support should be advanced in a carefully planned way.

Ensuring the quality of education should not be forgotten. The Cultural Affairs Agency will establish a qualification for teachers of Japanese language. Requiring teaching practice in the training stage is also being discussed. A challenge will be to secure schools where trainees can engage in practice teaching, and to work out the content of practice teaching programs.

Sound management of Japanese language schools is also important. How should these facilities be urged to improve themselves, where the attendance rate of students is low and the performances of language proficiency tests are poor? A framework to check them effectively is essential.

It is indispensable to take care of children who are unable to fully understand classes given in Japanese. The number of such children has reached a total of 44,000 in elementary, junior high and senior high schools, up 70 percent over the past 10 years.

Many of them are elementary and junior high schools with fewer than five such students, making it difficult to give lessons efficiently. There are cases where a teacher who can offer Japanese language instruction circulates among different schools. There are also local governments that offer language programs intensively for a certain period, by having such students gather in one place.

By referring to these examples, meticulous guidance should be expanded.

 

Source of the notice: http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0005582463

Comparte este contenido:

Plataformas y apps para crear mapas conceptuales y mentales

Por: Educación 3.0  28-12.2018

Los mapas mentales y conceptuales son un recurso muy valioso para el aula, pues con ellos es posible representar gráficamente cualquier idea. Las siguientes aplicaciones y plataformas han sido creadas para esta tarea.

crear mapas conceptuales esquemas onlineLos mapas conceptuales y mentales son útiles para representar de forma gráfica el conocimiento, relacionando conceptos entre sí.
Las siguientes apps y webs facilitan la tarea de organizar los conceptos y relacionarlos, resultando más fácil para los docentes elaborar esquemas y mapas conceptuales que estructuren los contenidos a impartir en el aula; además de permitir a los estudiantes utilizar esos conocimientos para dar forma a otros relacionados.

Incluye la sincronización con herramientas de uso diario, además de la integración con más de 800 aplicaciones y la posibilidad de compartir mapas conceptuales y crear alineaciones. También cuenta con una vista cronológica, filtros, navegación simplificada y modo instructivo.

Un programa descargable para realizar mapas conceptuales y diagramas, por lo que resulta muy útil para aquellas personas que deseen incorporarlo a sus clases, trabajos o presentaciones académicas. Permite a los usuarios insertar comentarios en sus propios trabajos y en los de otros; imprimirlos en múltiples páginas; y exportarlos en los formatos de Microsoft Office y PDF

Permite trabajar de forma colaborativa a través de diversos iPad, iPhone o vía web, sincronizando en tiempo real todos los cambios que se realicen en el proyecto. La app incluye almacenamiento gratuito en la nube de los mapas conceptuales creados, que también pueden descargarse con un solo clic.

Tiene dos versiones: una gratuita y con funciones limitadas, y otra mucho más completa que permite crear documentos ilimitados, añadir hipervínculos… Su interfaz es muy intuitiva y es posible añadir notas, enlaces, imágenes, información adicional en cada uno de los cuadros de los mapas conceptuales… También existe versión para Windows

Es una herramienta para crear esquemas y mapas conceptuales que permite añadir a los textos gráficos, dibujos, presentaciones, documentos…  Luego, sincroniza todos esos contenidos entre los diferentes dispositivos que la tengan instalada, para lo que es necesario registrarse de forma gratuita. Su descarga también es gratis, tanto en dispositivos iOS como Android

Gratuita y muy fácil de utilizar, brinda la opción de arrastrar, reordenar y editar los asuntos directamente en la propia página del mapa conceptual. La versión de pago, que puede adquirirse desde la propia aplicación, ofrece un editor mejorado con enlaces cruzados, colores personalizados, imágenes, enlaces a otros mapas mentales… Los documentos pueden subirse a la nube, para acceder a ellos desde distintos dispositivos a través del servicio de Dropbox

Ofrece un espacio ilimitado para los mapas conceptuales, que se organizan de forma manual arrastrando y soltando nodos, persoalizando tanto la forma como el fondo y el estilo. Es gratuita y disponible para dispositivos Android

Para utilizar esta app hay que registrarse, aunque su uso es gratuito (eso sí, la versión Premium dispone de funcionalidades adicionales). El usuario puede exportar o compartir los mapas conceptuales, que son protegidos contra las amenazas offline

Posee la particularidad de dibujar diagramas deslizando el dedo por la superficie de la pantalla, eligiendo colores y formas para cada uno de los mapas conceptuales.

Para dibujar diagramas, mapas conceptuales… y convertirlos en esquemas o viceversa. El texto puede copiarse desde otras aplicaciones, desde un correo electrónico o un documento, y luego guardarse como fotografía, subirse a la nube o a Facebook. La descarga es gratuita, pero para realizar mapas conceptuales ilimitados es necesario comprar una actualización dentro de la app.

Para tomar notas, crear listas y recopilar información. Se puede utilizar junto con la versión para PC y sus funciones de escritorio incluyen notas, categorías, recursos y fotografías, entre otros.

Una herramienta para organizar ideas, recursos o imágenes en forma de gráficos, muros virtuales, mapas conceptuales, líneas de tiempo… Pueden utilizarla varios usuarios, por lo que es una interesante opción de trabajo colaborativo. Cuesta 5,49 euros

Tiene dos versiones: una en forma de app y otra online. Destaca por las numerosas plantillas que incorpora, más de 50 diagramas, así como por sus posibilidades colaborativas y su biblioteca de ejemplos.

Su uso es muy sencillo va guiando paso a paso: desde elegir la forma de los cuadros hasta las líneas conectoras con sólo arrastrarlas del lateral a la página principal para así crear los mapas conceptuales. Luego, pueden personalizarse en función del color, tipo de fuente…

Especialmente pensada para el aprendizaje de nueva información, permite que los profesores utilicen las cartas de KWHL para determinar lo que sabían sus estudiantes antes de la introducción del nuevo material y la comparan a lo que aprendieron.

Bubbl es un servicio para crear mapas conceptuales y mentales a través de cualquier navegador, de forma gratuita y muy sencilla. Es perfecto tanto para docentes que quieran enviar contenido a sus alumnos, como para que estos elaboren y desarrollen sus propios esquemas de mapas conceptuales como técnica de estudio.

Software de gestión gratuito para crear mapas conceptuales compatible con Windows, macOS y Linux. Dispone de un motor de addons para añadir nuevas características a la hora de crear y personalizar los mapas conceptuales

Se trata de un servicio web multidisciplinar con una interfaz parecida a Google Drive. Es multidisciplinar y la posibilidad de crear mapas conceptuales es una de las muchas funciones que permite; tan fácil como arrastrar y soltar elementos. Permite exportar los resultados de varios modos, como guardándolos en varios servicios en la nube o enviándolos a través de correo

Entre las características de GoConqr se encuentra la posibilidad de crear mapas conceptuales para “facilitar la conexión de ideas y mejorar el aprendizaje”. Para estudiantes de Secundaria y Bachillerato que quieran aprovecharla como complemento a sus apuntes

Ideado para satisfacer las necesidades de empresas que necesitan crear mapas conceptuales en equipo, Mindmanager es un completo gestor y creador de estos recursos a través de editores, disponible para Windows y Mac, con sincronización en la nube, gestión de proyectos y mucho más.

Con Coggle es posible crear todo tipo de mapas conceptuales, esquemas interactivos e incluso cualquier nota con dibujos y diagramas. Muchas posibilidades para una plataforma gratuita con opciones de pago que permiten ampliar las posibilidades añadiendo nuevas funcionalidades. Es posible compartir contenidos

Simple Mapper

Para organizar ideas a través de mapas conceptuales, diagramas de red e interacción o flujos de trabajo; todo a través de un navegador web. Con Simple Mapper todas las creaciones son públicas, de forma que se comparten con lo alumnos fácilmente. Requiere Adobe Flash.

El caso de Text 2 Mind Map es bastante curioso y también diferente al de otras opciones contempladas en esta lista. Permite escribir los elementos del diagrama en una caja de texto y la plataforma automáticamente la convierte a un mapa conceptual.

Mind42, mapas conceptuales

Tanto de forma individual como a nivel colectivo, esta plataforma permite la creación de mapas conceptuales partiendo de un nodo principal al que se pueden agregar otros secundarios y información de interés en distintos formatos. Se puede personalizar el diseño cambiando, por ejemplo, el color de las fuentes y añadir hipervínculos e iconos

Desde una burbuja inicial, situada en el centro del mapa conceptual, esta solución online permite extraer ramificaciones totalmente personalizables (en cuanto a tamaño, color de fondo y tipografía) a las que se sumar imágenes e hipervínculos.Cada creación puede desplazarse por el mapa conceptual cuando el usuario, o alguno de los miembros del grupo de trabajo, lo consideren preciso.

Esta plataforma facilita la creación de mapas conceptuales a través de la vinculación de hexágonos en los que se incluyen las las ideas. Incorpora la opción de cambiarles el color para identificar los distintos niveles. Una vez se termine, es posible exportar el resultado, compartirlo, guardarlo en formato de texto o implementarlo en otra plataforma.

PersonalBrain, mapa conceptual y mental

Gracias a su acceso multiplataforma, esta app hace posible la creación y edición de mapas conceptuales desde cualquier lugar y momento. Permite incluir imágenes, documentos de texto y páginas web a cada pensamiento , además de contar con un buscador. Para Android e iOS.

Esta página web permite la creación de mapas conceptuales programados en Java. Para su diseño, incluye una amplia gama de herramientas de formato y color. También es posible añadir hipervínculos e importar documentos e, incluso, otros mapas. A la hora de exportar los mapas conceptuales, da la opción de hacerlo en varios formatos (.html, .pdf o .jpg). Para cualquier sistema operativo.

Un sitio web que permite a los usuarios crear de forma sencilla mapas conceptuales sobre cualquier tema. Para usarlo, el usuario debe conceptualizar el tema que quiera ilustrar con los mapas mentales. Añadirá las categorías y subcategorías del tema y se van poniendo los puntos de ramificación. Cuenta con la opción de anotar cosas en cualquier punto de ramificación.

Para elaborar mapas conceptuales y diagramas. Este programa se puede utilizar para realizar planificaciones, conceptos generales y específicos sobre un determinado tema. En un simple mapa conceptual, se pueden destacar los puntos más relevantes

 

https://www.educaciontrespuntocero.com/recursos/apps-para-crear-mapas-conceptuales/19624.html

Comparte este contenido:

OVE y LA OTRA MIRADA EDUCATIVA (NUEVA TEMPORADA): Presentan una serie de entrevistas asociadas a las agendas de educación. (Video)

Otras Voces en Educación se complace en presentar su nuevo proyecto educativo, esperamos disfruten y nos dejen sus comentarios.

La Otra Mirada Educativa
(Nueva Temporada 2019)

La otra mirada educativa es un espacio de encuentro con los grandes temas asociados a las agendas de educación, reformas educativas, ciencias sociales, filosofía, política y gestión pública. Es una ventana abierta, dirigida por el académico Luis Bonilla-Molina donde todas las semanas nos presenta una edición de sus entrevistas hechas para los canales de “Otras Voces en Educación”, “CLACSO-Venezuela, “La Otra Mirada Educativa” y “Luis Bonilla-Molina” en YouTube. La producción está a cargo de la comunicadora social Luz Palomino y es una producción del equipo de OVE.

En esta oportunidad entrevistamos a Marianicer Figueroa Psicóloga, Dra en Innovación Educativa, investigadora del uso educativo apropiado y crítico de las tecnologías, la educación abierta y a distancia. Activista comprometida por la Difusión Libre del Conocimiento y Ciencia Abierta.

Les dejamos el video completo:

Les dejamos nuestras Redes Sociales por esta vía.
https://www.facebook.com/ovemundo
https://www.instagram.com/ove.mundo/
https://twitter.com/ovemundohttps://w…

No duden en escribirnos por nuestros correo:
contacto@otrasvoceseneducacion.org/comunicacion.ove@gmail.com

Comparte este contenido:

Coding drives inclusive education in Africa

Africa/Source: gadget.co.za.

Is coding a universal language that can bridge not only the gender and income gaps but enable also inclusive access to 21st century education? For the passionate team of Africa Code Week ambassadors in Mozambique, the answer is a resounding yes. 

“Coding is a language that everyone can – and should – speak in order to be active participants in the global digital economy,” says Sonia Santos, local coordinator for Africa Code Week, which saw activities across the continent over the past month. “With the support of our public and private sector partners, Africa Code Week is delivering on its vision of a 21stcentury inclusive education by reaching Mozambique’s hearing-impaired community for the first time.”

With more than 1.8 million young Africans already introduced to coding skills over the past three years, Africa Code Week has made a lasting contribution to the continent, enabling free access to thousands of digital skills development workshops while building teaching capacity in ICT education through the training of over 28,000 teachers and community members so far.

The universal language of code

Africa Code Week’s coding workshops for hearing-impaired children in Mozambique were part of SAP’s  broader commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), specifically Goal 4, which aims to ensure quality and inclusive education.

The programme also gives credence to SDG goal 17 through sustainable partnerships with its Africa-wide partnership network.  According to Santos, the response to their first foray into providing inclusive  workshops for local deaf communities was overwhelmingly positive.

“Earlier in October, we held hugely successful Master Trainer sessions in Maputo where 24 teachers from several special needs local schools were trained in coding skills. These teachers then led the coding workshops with support from volunteers in Maputo, where a total of 105 hearing-impaired students participated over two days.”

Mozambique has an estimated 305 000 deaf people. However, due to a lack of adequate support structures and ongoing  stigma, many are unable to access formal education or work opportunities.

“Mozambique only has three schools dedicated to teaching deaf children, which leaves most of the community without exposure to digital skills development opportunities. As the Fourth Industrial Revolution gathers pace, those without such skills are at risk of being left behind. It is our goal to empower Africa’s youth with the skills they need to thrive in the global digital economy in an inclusive and sustainable manner.”

A private sector partnership with Mapal, a German industrial manufacturing firm, resulted in a sponsorship of a Train-the-Trainer session that was held at the Institute of Vocational Training in Vilankulo.

“With the generous support of our private sector partners, we trained 20 teachers who in turn inspired 200 youth as part of this year’s ACW.”

Partnership with government extends ACW reach

She says that government support for this year’s Africa Code Week activities has been hugely encouraging.

“We have partnered with the Ministry of Science and Technology, Higher and Vocational Professional Education, that has delegations (CPRDs) in each of our provinces with access to computers in regions where many children had never touched or worked on a PC before. With the support of the National Institute of Electronical Governance, we have also trained 345 teachers as part of this year’s Train-the-Trainer activities, focusing on parts of the country where digital literacy is lagging.”

According to Sunil Geness, Project Lead for Africa Code Week at SAP Africa, the in-country support and participation of government and NGOs is one of the cornerstones of Africa Code Week’s sustainable impact across the continent.

“In addition to support from key partners, UNESCO YouthMobile, Google and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Africa Code Week is actively driven by more than 15 African governments and in excess of 150 partner organisations across 36 countries. We believe this shared-value approach holds the key to achieving our vision of building community capacity in ICT education across the continent and equipping youth with the skills and abilities that will drive their – and Africa’s – success in the 21st century.”

Source of the notice: https://gadget.co.za/coding-drives-inclusive-education-in-africa/

Comparte este contenido:

The urgent need to plan for disability-inclusive education

By:  Suzanne Grant Lewis.

When you think of a typical school, do you envisage any children with disabilities? Are the school facilities accessible to all students and the learning materials adapted to everyone’s needs? Is the teacher trained on how to use them?

Devex’s Development Enabled series

Development Enabled explores the daily challenges of people with disabilities, while looking at solutions on how to support a disability-inclusive world.

These questions only hint at the complexities involved in planning for disability-inclusive education — a global imperative in response to children with disabilities being one of the most marginalized groups in education.

There are between 93-150 million children living with a disability, according to the World Health Organization’s 2011 World Disability Report. In low- and middle-income countries, the 2016 Learning Generation report estimates that as many as 33 million children with disabilities are out of school. Stigma and discrimination combined with a lack of data — making them hard to reach — compounds the problem.

Disability-inclusive education is a strong entry point into the broader concept of inclusive education, which UNESCO defines as the process of reaching out to all learners by addressing all forms of exclusion and marginalization; disparities; and inequalities in access, participation, and learning outcomes.

“More and more governments now recognize the important benefits of disability-inclusive education for all members of society.”

— Suzanne Grant Lewis, director, UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning

For children with disabilities, this does not just mean enrolment into a mainstream school. All facets of the education system must be addressed so that it can equally respond to the diverse needs of all its learners. There is no “one-size-fits-all” answer. Every country needs to formulate its own set of solutions that reach down to the level of individual schools.

There are some overarching ideas to consider when planning for disability-inclusive education, however. Here are five:

1. Acknowledge that inclusive education is a human right

Inclusive education — and more specifically disability-inclusive education — is a human right. In fact, 177 countries have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which calls for the integration of people with disabilities in societies, including in education. The Sustainable Development Goals further recognize the crucial role of inclusive and equitable quality education in building a better, more equal world.

2. Encourage a system-wide approach

Inclusive education requires an inclusive approach. This means looking holistically from administration and management down to what happens inside and outside the school. This includes looking at pedagogy and assessments, financial and human resources, as well as less tangible issues such as attitudes and norms. At the same time, other causes of marginalization cannot be ignored, including gender, location, ethnicity, language, displacement, and security.

A cross-sectoral approach is required as children with disabilities may also encounter constraints related to health and transport, for example. As highlighted in a 2018 technical round table on disability-inclusive education, hosted by UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning and UNICEF, an effective response therefore requires the participation of the community-at-large, development partners, persons with disabilities, parents, and other ministries. This kind of collaboration is taking place in a range of countries including Cambodia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, Nepal, South Africa, Vietnam, and others.

3. Promote meaningful data collection to reach the invisible

A lack of quality data on children with disabilities makes it nearly impossible to both locate out-of-school children and ensure that those in school are receiving the support needed to succeed. Both national governments and development partners are playing an increasingly important role in encouraging the collection of information on disabilities through household surveys and education management information systems. The Washington Group on Disability Statistics and UNICEF have also enabled a shift in focus from medical categorizations of disability to a focus on the types of difficulties a child may have in the classroom.

Equally important is data collection that addresses the school environment, such as physical accessibility to schools, information on inclusive policies and rights, learning materials, teacher training, and the availability of support specialists in schools.

4. Remember that implementation is what really counts

Foundations of disability-inclusive education sector planning: New online course from IIEP-UNESCO and UNICEF

Starting October 2019, ministries of education can register for a new course on planning for disability-inclusive education. The first course, lasting 6-8 weeks, will focus on eastern and southern anglophone Africa. Ministries will be invited to present teams of 4-6 members. Stay in touch with IIEP-UNESCO for updates.

We know that genuine inclusive education requires a broad systemic rethinking of education systems and school cultures. However, the ultimate test will come in how countries develop, implement, and monitor inclusive policies and plans.

There is also a growing consensus among development partners on the need for action to address inclusive education and to go beyond policy advocacy to actual implementation. On this front, IIEP-UNESCO is working with a broad group of partners — including the GLAD network, and UNICEF in particular — to help address planning issues through the development of regional training courses around planning for inclusive education.

5. Think of inclusive education not as a challenge, but an opportunity

More and more governments now recognize the important benefits of disability-inclusive education for all members of society. Not only does it open doors for children who were once excluded, it is more cost-effective than special needs schools that only reach small populations, promotes social cohesion, and enables all children and youth to appreciate diversity.

Many countries are still in the early stages of planning for this, but the round table this past July brought several examples of progress to the forefront including an inclusive education policy in Ghana, robust data collection in Fiji, and an enhanced budget for inclusive education in Cambodia’s new education sector plan.

Let us share these success stories as we continue toward 2030. And, as reflected in UNESCO’s guide for ensuring inclusion and equity in education, let us not see individual differences as “problems to be fixed,” but as opportunities for “democratizing and enriching learning” for all.

Source of the article: https://www.devex.com/news/opinion-the-urgent-need-to-plan-for-disability-inclusive-education-94059

Comparte este contenido:
Page 54 of 144
1 52 53 54 55 56 144