malvernmugadzikwa
Disability Issues
Dr Christine Peta
LEARNING begins with informal knowledge, before children — including those with disabilities — walk through the doors of classrooms.
Informal learning is that which occurs outside of a school or university, but takes place in families and communities.
However, some parents believe the lives of children with disabilities will amount to nothing on the basis of their conditions. No wonder such children are often excluded from most, if not all, learning processes, including that which takes place in families and communities.
For instance, girls with disabilities may be excluded from the learning process that takes place in the kitchen at home. This is due to a fallacious belief that girls with disabilities will never grow to be independent adults, who may want to cook for themselves or who may want to marry or become mothers that cook for their family.
A grandfather might show his non-disabled grandchildren the way to use a key to unlock a door, but he may not show his grandchild with disabilities the same thing. A mother may work with her non-disabled daughter around knitting a jersey but she may not do the same with her daughter with disabilities.
Regarding formal education, some parents do not enrol their children with disabilities at formal schools as they wrongly believe such offspring can never grow to become successful in life or to work and become breadwinners.
The traditional understanding of disability makes things worse because, in most African contexts, the condition is associated with witchcraft, evil spirits and the breaking of traditional taboos.
It is, therefore, not surprising that some parents may hide their children with disabilities in homes, in order to avoid the stigma and discrimination that surrounds the condition. Yet, the irony of the matter is that children with disabilities also have their own dreams and ambitions for the future.
As such, just like others, children with disabilities also need to access quality education to enable them to develop skills that will make them realise their full potential.
Inclusivity is, therefore, one of the most effective ways of enabling children with disabilities to have a fair chance of going to school, to learn and develop the skills they need to actively and meaningfully participate in all facets of life, thus pulling themselves and their families out of poverty, later on in life.
Section 3.9 of the National Disability Policy (NDP) that was launched by President Mnangagwa is dedicated to the issue of lifelong learning and education of persons with disabilities.
The policy directs informal learning for persons with disabilities, as well as an inclusive formal education system of appropriate standards, for such individuals of all gender affiliations.
The NDP states “the full development of the human potential, sense of dignity, self-worth, personality, talents, creativity, as well as the mental and physical abilities of persons with disabilities, must be enhanced” and “persons with disabilities must receive the individual support they require to facilitate their effective education in environments that maximise academic and social development, including that of blind, deaf and deaf blind learners”.
Government, therefore, takes cognisance of the fact that inclusive education is not just a cosmetic presence of a child with disabilities in a classroom, but the child must be able to actively participate in a scenario where the child’s contribution and participation is not only valued by others involved, but also by him or herself.
Way forward
The child’s early learning experiences form the foundation upon which later education can be grounded. Denying children with disabilities informal learning and formal education is a serious violation of their rights.
Nonetheless, the issue should not just be that of contributing to the body of knowledge, or acquiring certificates and qualifications, but it must also be that of developing capabilities, in a context where people — including persons with disabilities — learn to act responsibly towards others, to take initiative and work creatively and collaboratively with others.
There is, therefore, a need for all of us to create and sustain environments in which informal learning takes place in various settings that include families and communities. This should be done in ways that add value to the lives of people, including those with disabilities.
We need to strike a balance between informal learning and formal education throughout the lives of persons with disabilities.
If we do not make an effort to understand these issues, we push children with disabilities away, or exclude them. In formal education, it is important for both non-disabled teachers and non-disabled learners to understand that bodily difference does not mean bad or worse than other bodies.
Developing a positive educational environment is not just a good idea, but also a prerequisite to effective learning in settings where all learners, including those with disabilities, feel comfortable, safe, valued, supported and encouraged.
Dr Christine Peta is a disability, policy, international development and research expert. She is the national director of disability affairs in Zimbabwe. She can be contacted on: [email protected]
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