Innovative Practice 2020 on Inclusive Education and ICT
Promoting community-based Inclusive Education
| Name of Innovative Practice: | Including children with disabilities in mainstream schools in Nepal |
|---|---|
| Organisation: | Sama Nepal |
| Country of Implementation | Nepal/ 4 districts |
| Start Year | 2016 |
PROBLEMS TARGETED
Children with disabilities in Nepal have limited access to mainstream schools because of social stigma and a lack of accessible infrastructure and curricula.
SOLUTION, INNOVATION, AND IMPACT
Sama Nepal focuses on its ‘base school’ in every district (Banke, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and Sindupalchok), which includes a care centre and/or a resource class in which children with special needs are enrolled. From there they participate in many mainstream school activities, such as educational, recreational and vocational classes according to their abilities. A multidisciplinary team assesses the needs of every child and provides educational, health, and rehabilitation support and referrals. Assistive technology is made available to support children’s learning and recreation.
Sama Nepal also supports partner schools in the district through awareness-raising workshops and trainings on Inclusive Education for teachers, students, and parents. Additionally, it collaborates with and coordinates the activities of key stakeholders (including families, schools, local government, and NGOs) to increase the enrolment and participation of children with disabilities in mainstream schools.
The organization has grown from one base school and four partner schools in 2016 to five base schools and 41 partner schools in 2019.
Sama Nepal provides a wide range of learning materials and other support to students, teachers, and day-care centres for parents.
FUNDING, OUTLOOK AND TRANSFERABILITY
Sama Nepal’s annual budget is $40,000 and is funded entirely through various civil society contributions, such as the Swiss Audrey Jacobs Foundation, providing financial and technical support.
The three-tiered community-based model – involving the base school, partner schools, and collaboration with key stakeholders – was designed to be easily replicable and fundable using locally available resources, for example, through a school’s existing budget or through community mobilization efforts led by the local government.
Sama Nepal intends to expand its community-based model to an additional six districts, for a total of ten districts.
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