Innovative Practice 2020 on Inclusive Education and ICT

Promoting community-based Inclusive Education

Sama Nepal, a non-profit organization active across four districts in Nepal, takes a multidisciplinary and community-based approach to providing Inclusive Education for out of school, focusing on bringing those with disabilities into mainstream schools. Begun in 2016, the organization collaborates with parents, schools, community-based organizations and government agencies to supply a wide range of support measures, such as assistive devices and teacher trainings. Sama Nepal also supports the operation of day-care services run by parents, offering therapeutic interventions together with partner organizations. As of 2019, 222 children with disabilities have enrolled and followed up into mainstream schools.

“Sama Nepal is able to create a huge impact by bringing children with disabilities out of invisibility.”

Audrey JacobsAudrey Jacobs Foundation, partner organization of Sama Nepal
About the practice at a glance
Name of Innovative Practice:Including children with disabilities in mainstream schools in Nepal
Organisation:Sama Nepal
Country
of Implementation		Nepal/ 4 districts
Start Year2016

FACTS & FIGURES

  • Since 2016, 222 children with disabilities have been enrolled and followed up in 41 Mainstream schools.
  • Training sessions on Inclusive Education have been attended by 2,164 teachers, parents, and students, from 5 base school and 41 partners schools.

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.

A project participant is getting individual learning support on a table with learning material.

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.

CONTACT

Suresh Kaphle
Suresh.kaphle@samanepal.org
www.samanepal.org

FACTSHEET

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LINKS AND FURTHER READING