Inclusive education in Uganda

In April 2008 we began implementing an inclusive education programme in twenty schools in Budaka and Mukono Districts of Uganda. The three-year programme aims to support 1000 disabled children attend 20 mainstream schools across the two districts. The work is supported by Rotary International Britain and Ireland.
 

781 children with disabilities have been enrolled in the 20 project schools through project intervention. An additional 447 children with disabilities that were already in the schools at the start of the project have been supported to stay in school and are benefiting from the accessible physical environment, improved teaching methodology of teachers resulting from the capacity building training, increased awareness of disability rights of the school community through child to child and other sensitisation activities. 

195 teachers have received capacity building training facilitated by Kyambogo University on special needs and inclusive education methods.The pupils are involved in child-to-child activities, including drama, poetry and music for raising awareness on disability and development issues.

Parents are encouraged to come together and discuss the issues affecting their school going children through parents support groups. Over 400 parents regularly meet to share experiences and develop strategies to campaign for improved service provision for their children.

The school environment has been improved and made more accessible through the construction of verandahs on school blocks and ramps to classrooms. Sanitary facilities have been made accessible with the provision of disability friendly toilets. Eleven schools have new rain water harvesting systems for collection of clean water which has curbed the time that children previously spent trekking in some instances for upto over 4 km, to the nearest swamp, to collect water. 
 

The programme team works closely with the Ministry of Education and Sports and Kyambogo University to promote inclusive education. Additionally networking with other NGOs and Disabled People's Organisations (DPOs) strengthens the programme.