Azad Jammu & Kashmir has a much
higher literacy rate (64%) compared with Pakistan (58%), but situation of
children with disabilities in AJK is not very different from children with
disabilities (CWDs) from other parts of Pakistan. No policy on disability or
education of children with disabilities exists in AJK. Children with
disabilities and their families in AJK constantly experience barriers to
enjoyment of their basic human rights and to their inclusion in society. The
barriers they face are more frequently as a result of the environment in which
they live than as a result of their impairment. Schools are not inclusive,
teachers are not sensitized and trained, physical access to schools is difficult
and policy makers are not sensitized about the issues of children with
disability.
Today, Women Welfare Organization Poonch (WWOP) launches the 2014, research
report on inclusiveness of educational services in Azad Jammu & Kashmir. As
accelerate efforts towards realizing MDG 2 and achieving Education for All, the
new report draws attention to a large segment of children who are not in school
and have long remained invisible, hidden and forgotten: children with
disabilities.
Children with disabilities are significantly less likely to be in school than
their peers without disabilities. A 2014, research study found that a child with
a disability was twice as likely to have never attended school as a child
without a disability and also 50% less likely than their peers without
disability to complete primary school and progress to higher levels of
education.
The 2014 Inclusiveness of Educational Facilities Report of Azad Jammu & Kashmir
highlights the strong link between poverty and disability. Gender, health and
employment issues can make poverty and exclusion even worse. For example, girls
may become caregivers to their siblings with disabilities rather than attend
school. The report findings are as under;
Services Percentage
Ramps in school entrance 09.70
Buses have ramps 0
Accessible corridors 22.05
Table tops (29”) 24.08
Handrails available 09.03
Water facilities 30.94
Ramps or elevators are available 03.51
Supportive arrangement of chairs in class 31.61
Large desks 18.73
Pillows are available 02.01
Wide bathrooms 06.52
Accessible sinks in bathrooms 03.85
Accessible system to go in canteen and library 09.36
School building accessible from road 16.22
Children who are disabled are more likely to be poor and remain poor throughout
their lifetimes, due to lack of education and job opportunities. Ensuring that
children with disabilities have access to inclusive and quality education is
critical to reverse the cycles of poverty and exclusion.
Education needs to be inclusive and available to all children
The creation of inclusive education systems is fundamental for achieving
universal education goals and realizing the human rights of ALL children.
Inclusive education entails the provision of meaningful learning opportunities
for all students within the regular school system. Ideally, it allows children
with and without disabilities to attend the same classes at local schools, with
additional, individually tailored support as needed.
Children with disabilities should not be segregated in the classroom, at
lunchtime or on the playground. Teachers and parents play key roles in
supporting inclusive education. The study reveals that teachers and principals
with training in inclusive education had more positive attitudes and inclusive
views than those who had not been trained.
Call to action
The 2014 Inclusiveness of educational facilities in Azad Jammu & Kashmir Report
provides a strong call for action. Some of the key actions that need to be taken
include:
• Promoting inclusive education for children with disabilities at all levels,
including early childhood education, to support the practice and culture of
inclusion across education systems.
• Building or retrofitting schools that are accessible for disabled children
should be a universal design criterion. Inclusive education requires physical,
communicational, informational and attitudinal barriers to be eliminated.
• Ensuring curricula and learning materials, processes and assessments are
accessible to all.
• Training teachers and providing orientation to foster a commitment to
inclusion across schools and communities.
• Collecting data about disability to fill gaps and monitor progress on the
education of children with disabilities.
At WWOP, we believe that equity in education is a right in principle as well as
in practice. Inclusive education is central to our equity agenda and promotes
meaningful learning opportunities to all children, including those with
disabilities, within regular schools. WWOP has also been supporting innovative
idea to reduce barriers to education that children with disabilities face.
Together, by providing an inclusive education to all, we can break the cycle of
poverty and ensure that these children do not remain invisible. Through this,
they will be qualified for better jobs, experience social and economic security,
and have greater opportunities for full participation as equal and rightful
members of society.