Non-Formal TVET Forum

Day one 

Inclusive Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for persons with disabilities and refugees, particularly in Uganda Workshop day one

Inclusive Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for persons with disabilities and refugees, particularly in Uganda Workshop day one

I. Research Context and Workshop Purpose

The discussions stemmed from a research project titled "Disabled Refugees Included in Education (DRIVE)," conducted from March 2020 to September 2022 in Uganda, South Africa, and Zambia. The research aimed to understand the educational inclusion and exclusion of refugees living with disabilities, with a focus on gender.

A major finding of the research in Uganda was the lack of clear career pathways or trajectories for students with disabilities, with most ending their education at the primary level. This prompted a broader initiative to open discussions on how best to support people living with disabilities in communities, beyond just refugee children.

A two-day workshop was held to discuss career opportunities for refugees with disabilities. The workshop aimed to:

• Discuss participants' experiences and understanding of inclusivity in the TVET sector.

• Develop pathways for people with disabilities in education and careers.

• Identify challenges, opportunities, and what is working well in inclusive TVET.

II. Key Challenges Identified in TVET Inclusion

Group Discussion

Several significant challenges were highlighted during the discussions:

• Limited Awareness and Strategies for Inclusion: TVET institutions demonstrated limited awareness of the challenges faced by refugees with disabilities and lacked clear strategies for their inclusion.

• Lack of Career Pathways: A primary finding was the absence of clear career pathways for students with disabilities, leading many to end their education at the primary level.

• Negative Perceptions and Stigmatization:

  • Parents' negative perception of TVET: Parents often view vocational training as a place to "dump" children who are perceived not to work well academically, leading to low motivation in students.

  • Prevailing cultural myths and misconceptions about disabilities: The issue of disability has historically been something not dealt with in a focused way in some African cultures, leading to families hiding children with disabilities. Stigmatization still occurs in schools and communities.

  • Financial challenges and parental responsibility: Many learners with disabilities come from single-parent families (mothers often bearing the burden alone), and school fees are a major challenge. Some parents hold a mindset that disabled children should receive everything for free, which conflicts with school operations.

• Accessibility and Resource Allocation:

  • Lack of reasonable accommodation: Schools often claim to be inclusive but lack necessary accommodations like interpreters, braille, or ramps. An emboss machine for visually impaired students was even stolen from a school in Gulu.

  • High cost of individual attention: Vocational training centers incur extra costs for specialized staff like sign language interpreters or specialists for intellectual disabilities due to diverse student needs.

  • Inadequate government support: Support from the government for persons with disabilities is often deemed inadequate, mainly relying on specific grants. Vocational skills training requires significant investment in equipment and tools, unlike traditional schooling, which may only need chalk and a blackboard.

• Instructor Training Gaps: Many vocational training instructors lack the skills and training necessary to work with children with special needs.

• Data Problem: There is a significant problem with accurate data on special needs students in traditional schools, which hinders government support and planning.

• Gaps in Educational Transitions: Gaps exist between theoretical learning and practical application, and between primary and secondary education, with many not crossing the line without specific privileges.

Panel Discussion 

III. Enabling Factors and Support Mechanisms

Despite the challenges, several enabling factors and ongoing support mechanisms were highlighted:

• Parental Support and Advocacy:

  • Positive parents: Parents who are positive and passionate about their children's education can significantly enable their progress, supporting them through mainstream education.

  • Parent support groups (PSGs): Associations like the "Parents of Children with Disability Association" formed groups to enroll hidden children, sensitize parents, advocate for rights, and access government grants for projects. They conduct savings, hold meetings to share experiences, and do home visits to support each other.

• Individual Determination and Mindset Change:

  • Self-acceptance: Making learners proud of their impairment and helping them accept who they are is crucial for their learning and progress.

  • No barriers philosophy: The belief that "there is no disability when all barriers and obstacles have been removed" empowers individuals to overcome challenges and be confident.

  • Role modeling: Individuals who have overcome disabilities and achieved success serve as powerful role models, changing societal perceptions.

• NGOs and Partnerships:

  • Organizations supporting education: NGOs like "Window Trust Uganda" and "Uganda Society for Disabled Children (USDC)" have provided financial support, assistive devices, and training.

  • Advocacy organizations: Women with Disabilities Union advocates for the inclusion of members in government programs and employment opportunities.

  • Training and empowerment: Some organizations provide training and startup capital/machines to help trainees become self-reliant, often encouraging group work and tracking progress.

• Government Initiatives (Past and Present):

  • Danida's early assessment and referral services (EARS) centers: Built across 45 districts in Uganda (1993-1997) for early assessment and school enrollment, though many have ceased functioning.

  • Government revamping EARS centers: The government is now trying to revive these centers to improve early assessment and referral services.

  • Special Disability Grant: A government grant provided at the district level to support projects for children with disabilities.

  • Department of Special Needs  Education: Now includes non-formal education.

IV. Policy and Implementation Discussion

• Existence vs. Implementation: While policies for inclusive education exist in Uganda, they are often described as being "just in paper form" and "not implemented". Schools claimed to be inclusive often lack the necessary reasonable accommodations.

• Disconnection in Policy: There's a perceived disconnection between health and education policies, despite strong connecting needs for inclusion.

• Community-level Action: It was stressed that practical action needs to happen at the community level, as global-level publications alone are not enough to bring about change.

V. Action Points and Recommendations

Based on the discussions, several key action points and recommendations emerged:

Skills Training for TVET Instructors: There is a critical need to train TVET instructors in handling learners with diverse disabilities, including sign language.

• Strengthening Pathways and Follow-up:

  • Holistic Assessment: Integrate assessment processes that consider talent, aspirations, and market practicality from the program's start.

  • Post-Graduation Support: Develop clear strategies for supporting students after graduation, including providing startup capital and robust follow-up mechanisms to track their progress and performance.

  • Employer Engagement: Bring employers into discussions to ensure inclusive workplaces and connect trainees with job opportunities. This involves engaging with ministries of labor, gender, and social development.

• Changing Mindsets and Empowering Parents:

  • Sensitization and Encouragement: Continue and expand sensitization campaigns in communities and markets to raise awareness about the responsibility to support children with special needs and to challenge negative mindsets about disability.

  • Support for Parents: Provide empowerment programs and training for parents to equip them with skills to support their children and manage financial and other challenges. Encourage group formations for mutual support and experience sharing.

• Improving Accessibility and Resources: Advocate for increased government and agency support for vocational training centers, including funding for assistive devices, specialized staff, and necessary equipment.

• Data Collection: Improve the collection of accurate data on children with special needs to inform policy and resource allocation.

• Community Involvement: Foster greater community involvement, bringing together practitioners, caregivers, and students to discuss lived experiences and take practical steps towards inclusion.

• Advocacy for Policy Implementation: Continuously advocate for the effective implementation of existing inclusive education policies and the connection of health and education policies.

Day two

Dr Rhoda (Opening word)

Building inclusive support systems: A multisectoral Approach to supporting the Needs and Welfare of Children with Disabilities and their families

Yesterday, we foculsed on lived experiences and wht powerful, moving stories we heard. stories of resilience, determination, agancy, and an unyielding focus. we witnessed people who have beaten the odds and emerged as great men and women, not in spote of thier challenges, but often because of them.

We are privileged to have with us remarkable individuals whose journeys continue to inspire and lead. Mr. Samuel, a dedicated teacher, is doing transformative hands-on work every day, shaping the lives of children with disabilities through education. Mrs. Joyce, a passionate advocate, is not only raising her voice but empowering others to do the same, pushing the boundaries of inclusion and policy reform. Mr. Sunday has established his incredible institution, a beacon of hope and change, where we see lives being touched and futures being reshaped.

And then there's Mr. Suleman, who not only supported his child to overcome the barriers of disability but has gone further - establishing an organization that now supports countless parents and families facing similar challenges. His work is a shining example of how lived experience can become a force for systemic change.

Their stories remind us that real inclusion starts when systems are designed not just for people with disabilities, but with them, centering their voices and leadership. 

Today, as we explore the theme "Building inclusive support systems," we shift our focus towards a multi-sectoral approach, where health, education, social protection, legal frameworks, and community support come together. where failies are not left to struggle alone, and where children with disabilities are given every opportunity to thrive.

This isn't just about access; it is about dignity, equity, and opportunity. It's about building a society where no child is seen as a burden, and no family is left behind. 

Let us be reminded: the strength of any society is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable. And in that measure, we are all called to act - together.

Story from a parent.

Her child was born normally a.nd later got complications at five years. Though discouraged, the mother accepted her child's new condition and started supporting him while seeking to know how he can get a career like everyone else. She noticed that he often played with motor-cylces and and was always patching up things, his mother asked what he wanted to becaome and he said he wanted to be a mechanic. This is when she realised that he was interested in mechanical engeneering.

With acceptance in place, this mother started looking for help from an organisation which she got from World Vision who supported the son with tuition to do a short course in mechanics.

The son was given  three months study duration, but the mother's plea is for the son to be given more time for study and better his profession.

Student Story

How my Disability started

Accprding to her mum, they would do some traditional practices on new born babies. They would keep a new born girl for four day and a boy for three days and at the end of this time, they call older women to c elebrate the child as it is broght outside for the first time. The disability started on the day they had a creemony to take her out of the house for the first time.

None the leess, she is in sc hool now and is excelling. She has classmates that are disabled but are perforing more thatn the ones that are not disabled, She says she is leading in performance in her class despite her disability status.  She however is not happy with the enrollelment of students with disabilities is very low , 

Tecahers love the children with disabilities more than the others because they tend to be more disciplined,  she also commennted that the teachers love and care for them with respect

The teacher alaso get learn form her as she learnes from them. She has learnt alot of skills including making compost manure, keeps poultry, plant tress. and also practice tree managment prectice

She requests teachers to keep up with the same spirit.

BACKUP UGANDA

Group illustrations of the Concepts of inclusion, Segregation, integration, and exclusion

SEGREGATION

"Everyone should look at themselves as temporarily abled, and this will help you treat the people who are differently abled better."

Concepts of ableism and disablism, looking at structures and policies that are more or less on paper but are not applicable and do not support persons with disabilities................

There are also stigmatising words that are used to describe people with disabilities. There are also non-verbal ways of stigmatising persons with disabilities, for example, people imitate the way they walk, talk, or act as a joke.

Inclusive practices can be adopted in the day-to-day activities by the application of the Universal Design for learning. For example, one can use multiple ways of learning and expression. One can draw, sing, dance, or do anything else to communicate rather than just talking or writing.

The concept of differentiation is very important, referring to Deborah's quote that the duration of the vocational training should depend on the trainee, not the typical allocated time.  This speaks to the fact that the diverse nature of people can lead to different ways of perception and interaction, and TVET instructors should be able to recognize that be able to tailor learning to suit the individual needs of learners. Individualised attention can go a long way in ensuring that learners' needs are met in their spaces, allowing them to catch up on skill growth.

Reasonable accommodation is important in TVET institutions. This is the modification of structures to cater to the diverse needs of learners. This can also be done through adjusting the standing curriculum, pedagogy. learning and teaching materials, and every other aspect of the process of schooling in the TVET institutions.

Learning Difficulties and Disabilities

Dyslexia

Disclaimer: The persons holding the different cards do not have the condition, but were interested in learning about the condition

Anxiety and Depressive Disorders

AD(H)D {Attention Deficeit Hyper-activity Disorder}

Dyscaculia 

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Cognitive Impairment