Education For Disabilities

Educational provision for students with disabilities is essential if Ethiopia is to reach “Education for All” goals; however, despite a series of strategies and new legislation aiming to support inclusion of people with disabilities, a majority of children with disabilities are still out of school.

Ethiopia has an estimated 691,765 disabled children; of these, only about 2,300 are enrolled in school (Lewis,2009) with a high risk of dropping out (MoE and UNESCO,2012).

These numbers are concerning in the context of a country that has committed  itself to international proclamations advocating for the rights of children with disabilities to educational access, included ideals of supporting people with disabilities in its constitution, and developed national plans for special needs education(International Labor Organization, 2013). However, when one looks beyond these policies and declarations and views the realities of primary school classrooms and their surrounding communities, it becomes clear that achieving Education for All, most specifically children with disabilities, involves much more than establishing policies and placing students in classrooms.

Achieving true inclusion will require action that is rooted in the conviction that inclusive education is not merely about access, but about changes in society and systems.

Gebrher is committed to change the above challenge faced by students with disabilities by educating the community and working closely with government officials. Education for people with disabilities (PWD) will be embedded or mainstreamed in all the education and health programs of Gebrher.