Education is a universal right that must be ensured to every child regardless of caste, class, gender, ethnicity or disability. It must be accessible, affordable and adoptable. In this spirit, it is the basic right for children with hearing or other disabilities to be educated in an inclusive environment. Education is undoubtedly a cornerstone for every individual to develop their full potential; and in the case of persons with disability, it is often much more than that. For hearing impaired children, it is a primary means to develop communication tools.
Quality education gives people the means to live independently, as well as access and control over productive resources. People in Nepal with visual, hearing and locomotive disabilities who are fortunate enough to graduate from school or college have recently been able to compete successfully for responsible jobs in a variety of sectors including schools, colleges, civil service, NGOs and business. Yet, they remain an overwhelming minority.
It is estimated that 5 percent of children in Nepal have some disability and there are varying figures on how many of them go to school. Disability rights activists claim that only 10 percent of children with disability go to school in Nepal, while others argue that 80 percent of such children are denied educational rights. The government’s Flash Report for 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 suggests only some 20 percent of children with disabilities are studying in the government school system, while the preliminary report of a recent door-to-door survey in Udayapur and Saptari districts in eastern Nepal, shows that no more than 30 percent of such children go to school. Another study carried out by the Karuna Foundation in five village development committees in Rasuwa district indicates that more than 70 percent of all children with different types of disabilities are out of the education sphere.
Among children with disabilities, those who are deaf and hard-of-hearing are more likely to be deprived of their right to education, even though there is plenty of evidence that they form the biggest category of disabled people in Nepal. A study commissioned by the National Planning Commission back in 2001 shows that 38 percent of disabled people have communication/hearing disabilities, and that 71 percent of them have never been enrolled in school.
Despite all the efforts of civil society organizations, education rights activists, schools and the government through school enrollment campaigns, disabled children do not figure in their success stories. Numbers generated to show the success of such campaigns remain largely focused on physically and mentally able children. Regardless of the figures we choose to believe, it is clear that the vast majority of Nepal’s children with disabilities are excluded from formal education. Up to 65-70 percent of disabled children are being denied their right to education and the advantages this brings.
If education is the key to empowerment, independence and dignity, denying deaf children access to quality education inevitably leads to lower human development, discrimination, unemployment and social, economic and political marginalization. If deaf children are unable to develop to their full potential, it will hinder the entire deaf community from forging ahead in future. Neither the ‘education for all’ movement nor the millennium development goals on education will be achieved if the inclusion of such population in formal education continues to be ignored. What is even more worrying is that there has been little public discourse and debate around the educational rights of deaf and hard-of-hearing and other disabled children among donors, civil society organizations and policy makers.
One of the core contributing factors responsible for only a marginal number of deaf children having access to education is the teaching and learning approach or strategy adopted by government , NGOs and donors, in addition to insensitivity on the subject to date. The deaf community should be able to choose the type of education that suits them the best, whether it is available at a mainstream school or at a segregated centre. But while segregating children, it has to be kept in mind that inclusive education can be one of important tools to break social barriers and create a just society.
It is widely acknowledged that inclusion in education means that all students in a school––regardless of their strengths, weaknesses, or disabilities in any area––become part of the school community. This means they should possess a feeling of belonging. Inclusive education recognizes that educating children is a multi-actor role, with contributions from parents and community, alongside an innovative school system. We can easily observe that inclusive education is more progressive and scientific than the segregated system, reaching more people with limited resources by making adaptations––such as training teachers in sign language––to the mainstream education system in selected local schools.
Teaching disabled and non-disabled children together is advantageous for both. For instance, children learn about inclusion and welcome diversity; while deaf children enjoy the same rights and have access to the same educational opportunities as other children. This inclusive approach among children promotes greater opportunities for their social interaction as adults, leading to higher expectations and a better future. It helps develop barrier-free, rights-based and inclusive society.
Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD) directs member states to ensure an inclusive, education system at all levels, and to facilitate their full and equal participation in education as members of society to learn life and social development skills.
In a low-income developing country like Nepal, basic facilities and services are either poorly managed or non-existent. This creates a situation where deaf children are often denied access to education due to deficiencies in both governmental and nongovernmental programs. Yet, inclusive education for the deaf children who often experience communication, cultural and attitudinal barriers remains both the primary strategy and approach to improving their social and economic status. That said, adopting an inclusive approach is not easy as it demands judicious allocation of resources and critical research and analysis.
The current government practice in Nepal is to educate deaf and hard-of-hearing children exclusively through segregated teaching in special schools or resource centers set up outside the realm of mainstream education. However, some NGOs––partners of both ActionAid Nepal and Save the Children Norway––working on education for deaf and hard-of-hearing children in Nepal have developed a unique and successful model of inclusive education for deaf children in Banke, Bardia and Morang districts, collaborating local government and mainstream schools. This experience tells us that general education for deaf children in mainstream schools is possible, adoptable and fulfilling, if the teacher has skills in sign language and the right attitude.
In addition, rehabilitative training, adaptive technological devices and hostel facilities pave the way to overcoming the predicament of these children. In order to achieve this goal, it is crucial that the government takes civic action in partnership with pertinent stakeholders in order to ensure that all deaf children can access quality education of their choice.
We are now approaching another world children’s day (November 20) while reiterating more progressive promises of improving status of survival, protection, development and participation of children. But the day should also spark some hope in the most vulnerable and deprived children with hearing and other disabilities. Only that will make the day meaningful in the real sense.
The author is associated with ActionAid.
meenraj.panthee@live.com
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