In this week’s Top Class edition, we wish to bring you some basic information about the 2004-2015 Education Policy which is in line with the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). Below is the information about the 2004-2015 education policy, presented by the Special Needs Education Unit (SNU), during their recently concluded validation workshop held at St John’s School for the Deaf in Kanifing.

Despite the limited reach of formal institutions, the education policy 2004-2015 is making its own contribution to the efforts of special needs in The Gambia.  Special needs education is not only an issue for schools and teachers who look after children with disabilities but also a whole system approach that touches the whole nation in its drive to include all people in every aspect of responsible civic life.

The education policy calls for a radical and holistic change of attitudes and misconceptions about persons with disabilities to ensure that they too have access to relevant and quality education.

-Schools have no specific special needs policies that would create level entry criteria for enrollment of special need students. Where special needs students are enrolled, it is usually a personal initiative at those who matter rather than institutional drives emanating from policy.

-While it would be unwise to demolish the existing physical infrastructures in tertiary and higher education institutions, it would be appropriate to redesign aspect of such structures to respond to the mobility needs of special needs students, lack of ram, presence of gutters and a host of other inaccessibility problems can only send the signal of inequality treatment of special needs students.

-The institutions should develop a broad-based curriculum provisions that fully recognise and addresse the appropriate and academic and professional achievements of people with special needs.  The policy encourages inclusion of children with mild disabilities in mainstream schools, since effective mainstreaming requires a great deal of support and adaptation of existing educational practices.

The following strategies are being implemented as a result of the 2004-2015 education policy.
-Module on special needs for pre-service teachers at Gambia College.

-Provision of buses for special schools
-Provision of assessment centre for hearing impaired children
-Provision of a braille printing press
-Provision of braille machines and papers
-Development of training manual on special needs education
-Inclusion of special needs children in mainstream schools
-Provision of itinerant teaching service for visually and hearing impaired students. Despite these efforts, serious challenges remain to be addressed.

-Access to special needs children into schools
-Identification and assessment of children with special needs for appropriate placement.
-Inadequate or no training of teachers handing children with special needs.
-Inadequate specialized teaching and learning materials.

The policy encourages closer collaboration between health and educational personnel for early identification of children with disabilities and appropriate responses to their circumstances at all level. The principles aims and objectives of the policy framework
The principles underlying the special needs education and inclusive policy framework
The implementation of the policy framework will be guided by the principles of
-Inclusiveness
-Non-discrimination
-Individuality
-Participation

Aims and objectives of the policy framework
The main aims and objectives of this operational framework on special needs education are to:

1. Aim: Government to subsequently take over its responsibilities as the major duty bearer for special needs education.

Objectives:
-Conduct a needs assessment of the institutions to identify gaps by 2009.
-Address problems that may hamper the takeover of institutions by 2009.
-Develop a sustainable strategic plan for take over including all stakeholders by 2010.
-Commit stakeholders to the goals and objectives they set for themselves in local and international instruments (i.e EFA goals) by 2009.

-Review and assess ownership terms and conditions of special needs institution with a view to make appropriate changes by 2009.

2. Aim: Provide access to quality basic education
-Review the current curricula to address issues that creates barriers to active learning and participation by 2009

-Decentralise the provision of support services nation wide by 2015.
-Train polyvalent teachers on a sustainable base who can manage special needs children by 2011.

-Train cluster monitors on issues related to special needs education by 2009.
3 Aim: provide appropriate support to enhance effective teaching and learnibg apportunities.

-Provide adequate teaching and learning resources to all special needs institutions by 2009

-Establish functional regional centres with minimum packages of resources by 2012
-Identify and train minimum 2 regional staff as special neds focal point
-Adequately provide resources for early identification of disability and interventions through the appropriate sectors by 2009

-Adequately fund the special education unit
4.Aim: Provide appropriate learning environment that promotes inclusion
Objectives:

-Promote curriculum differentiation that cater for the learning pace for each child by 2011

-Conduct an assessment of institutions and indentify urgent needs by 2009
-Review the current building regulations in relatuis to the provision of ramps, wider doors, special toilets, lightings and elevation by 2010

-Advocate for disability friendly schools by 2008
-Advocate for inclusion of life and livelihood skills programme in all schools by 2008
-Identify schools that are disability friendly and provide awards and press by 2010.