Number of people taking this action: 20-50
Located in the Great Lakes region of Central Africa, DR Congo has been in a recurrent conflict since 1996, leaving the country at a very low level of development (Human Development Index: 178 out of 187). In this context of poverty, people with disabilities (PH) do not have access to their most basic rights. According to WHO, 15% of the world's population is disabled and UNESCO estimates that less than 10% of disabled children have access to education. The lack of data on the situation of PHs and HEs in the DRC does not allow for an accurate estimate of the access of HEs to school.
The experience of Congo Handicap in the previous phase of the project, consultations and field interviews confirm that a small proportion of CWD go to school in the DRC. However, there are specialized centers in the Congo for CWD where specialized education according to the type of disability is provided. These centers nevertheless face many limitations:
-The children present in these centers represent only a minority of CWD in the Congo;
-The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education does not recognize the teaching that is provided in these centers, while the teachers use the official programs,
-If some of these centers already practice inclusion by setting up gateway attempts with neighboring mainstream schools, this is exceptional. Most centers have an approach that is still very much based on the notion of "charity".
Studies and action conducted by Congo Handicap since 2012 show that children in the DRC in general and in North Kivu in particular are experiencing a situation of discrimination and exclusion, particularly with regard to their access to education:
Discrimination of the CWD by his own family: considered as the fruit of the curse and as an incapable, the family does not favor him access to basic services, he is hidden from the community and often becomes an eternal house keeper. Because of the lack of means of the families, the EH is not priority in the sibship to go to the school,
-At school level: school infrastructure is inaccessible, teachers are not trained in the field of disability, inclusive education methods, school directors are not aware of the reception of children with disabilities and sometimes block at registration, "ordinary" children are not made aware of the reception of their peers with disabilities, and national exams are not yet inclusive
-The grassroots leaders (local elected officials) and development actors are not aware of the problematic of HEs; in general, they do not consider issues relating to the promotion of the rights of HE as a problem under their mandate;
Under the weight of discrimination, children and persons with disabilities fall into self-discrimination and gradually lose the ability to fight in life and later lead independent lives;
In 2010, the government proclaimed free primary education. In view of its integration into the East African Community, the DRC is in the process of implementing major educational reforms, the most important of which is the transition from 6-year primary school to primary school. 9-year-old elementary school. This context of developing a new national framework for education policy is an ideal time for disability mainstreaming in the implementation of this policy.
For this second phase of the project, the various stakeholders were consulted to determine the orientations to follow through workshops and consultations on the year 2012/2013. Discussions between the pilot schools, specialized centers, DPOs, church representatives, administrative and school authorities and the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education Cabinet recommended that the learning and tools developed during the pilot phase of the inclusive education project be strengthened. The workshops highlighted the need to build inclusive education in the DRC in general and South Kivu in particular and to ensure more collaboration and more links between schools and specialized centers to increase enrollment. in the schools and to provide them with better school support.
Beneficiaries of the action
Direct beneficiaries:
-400 EH from 5 to 16 years of primary schools, 1 253 EH from specialized centers with sensory impairments that enjoy an inclusive school environment and adapted to their learning and socialization needs. Total: 1,673 EH.
-9,058 students from pilot primary schools who benefit from an inclusive school environment and adapted to their learning needs.
- 245 primary school teachers accompanied by the practice of inclusive methods.
-36 teacher trainers from primary schools and specialized centers whose capacities are strengthened.
-22 cadres of the Ministry of Education in its decentralized structures at provincial and municipal level: 2 ECDs, 6 ECDs, 2 provincial inspectors, 6 communal inspectors, 9 directors of inclusive schools.
60 peer educators reinforced to raise awareness among EH families.
Social workers from family and community development centers (CDF), a decentralized body of the Ministry of Solidarity in charge of supporting vulnerable populations in the communities. They will be strengthened on the identification, referencing and support of HEs and their families at the community level.
Indirect beneficiaries:
1,400 EH families enrolled in inclusive schools (about 8,400 people),
25,000 people benefit from awareness raising in the province of North Kivu
39,695 primary school pupils in the intervention zones,
Ministry staff working at the central level, particularly members of the Inclusive Education structure.The choice of pilot schools was done in consultation with the Ministry during the previous phase of the project. The selection criteria were as follows: schools large enough (with many students) not to be cataloged as schools for only HEs, schools whose standards did not require the project to start from scratch in terms of infrastructure, equipment, educational supervision. The centers chose for their proximity to the selected schools and their representativeness in terms of intervention in the field of disability in the provinces of intervention.
Organising Partners
Osisa, UNICEF, BELGIUIM GAVMENT. USAID , DFID...
