THE SCHOOL YEARS

PAST, PRESENT AND TOMORROW

Gladys Nyaga,

Education Programme Adviser

SIGHT SAVERS INTERNATIONAL EAST, CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AFRICA REGIONAL OFFICE,

NAIROBI, KENYA

Distinguished guests, colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen, we are gathered here to celebrate the International Council for Education of people with visual impairment (ICEVI) 50^th anniversary in this beautiful city in the Netherlands. Within this period many visually impaired persons have received education through schools systems. The schools have gone through a lot of changes in terms of the curriculum, the technology and even teaching methods.

Education of the Visually impaired (VI) has passed through many stages of development from the time of “Sight Saving Classes” to Special Classes and Special Schools, then to integration and currently to Inclusion. As my colleague Nandini has stated, inclusion means that, the school gates are open to all children who have attained school age to walk in and receive education, regardless of disability, gender, religion or economic status.

Learning has changed from memorising or rote learning to reasoning and discovery. Children go to school to gain knowledge, to socialise and even to mature and become independent. However, family and community expectations are not met because some children are not academicians, they are average and others low achievers.

Policy statements, general statements and reality:

As an educator and not a policy maker, I would like to reflect or make some observations in regard to educational statements:

Policy statements and recommendations concerning school years are formulated nationally and/or internationally without proper studies on consequences on implementation process, for example, a global statement like “Free education for All by the year ---- “ The number of VI children attending schools in Africa still remains about 15 - 20% in most countries. Furthermore, education is not free per se due to many levies charged to students. The budget for education is low and persons with disabilities are always given low priority and considered expensive in terms of unit cost compared to other services..
Parents of the so-called “normal children” can afford private quality education for such children but disabled children are discriminated while education of children with special needs is still heavily dependent on NGOs. Special education is said to be expensive due to specialised equipment and materials, yet these are basic needs.
Professionals (teachers) and policy makers make decisions without involving parents and the communities or opinions of the consumers (students).
Specialist teachers refer to VI children as “my child” thus being possessive while the regular class teacher within an integrated/inclusive setting feels alienated.
The number of qualified specialist teachers is still too low therefore, it is important to recognise and empower classroom teachers otherwise children with special needs will never go to school or benefit in inclusion.
The attitude of specialist and non-specialist teachers towards inclusion has to change. Some specialist teachers feel that their jobs are threatened while class teachers say that they are not well prepared. This results in the learner being frustrated during school years. How much emphasis should be placed on specialisation when the learner is suffering?
From my experience, a student can enjoy school if motivated, willing to learn, the teachers are positive, and children accept those with disability. The learning environment should be conducive and basic equipments are available. The presence of a specialist teacher should be an added advantage but not the determining factor for a VIC to enter school..

Curriculum and standards:

Current school systems and standards differ from country to country e.g. 8:4:4 or 7:4:2:3 as well as examination requirements. The time spent at primary, secondary and university keep changing because of irregular political statements without proper consultation. VI children enter school late due to various factors such as late identification, economic problems and cultural beliefs yet they have to cope with curriculum..

Schools in Africa have rigid and heavy curricula, which, does not accommodate average and low achievers. Curriculum adaptations are crucial if schools are to be truly inclusive. The community sets very high standards for VI students such that, the children are blamed for not excelling in class yet, sighted children fail exams and this is considered “normal”.

The community and those persons with disabilities must accept that there are certain limitations concerning subject content that require use of sight and also average or weak students have to be considered.

Training needs:

Nandini has said it all in her keynote address that children with special needs do not need a “Superhuman” teacher, therefore, attitudes of the lecturers in Special training institutions have to change. Too much curriculum emphasis is on teaching blind children and little on low vision yet reality shows only a small percentages of children are totally blind, a balance is required. It is important that general teacher training courses include special needs element, however, the lecturers MUST become itinerant lecturers. Unless this happens the intended good curriculum will not be implemented with an excuse that regular colleges have no expertise.

Parents also need training on responsibility towards their VI children in school and where possible basic skills since the parent of the 21^st century is educated but inadequate to deal with disability issues. If parents are empowered with basic skills then non-formal education will be achievable and then EFA a reality.

Technology:

New technology has evolved from Writing Slate to Perkins Braillers and lastly to computers and Internet. This has made communication faster, and easier, opening doors for many students to compete with sighted counterparts. However, children from remote rural communities in developing counties have no access to technology to compete in the changing world.

Education should be tailored to leisure, work and for living. The school curriculum is too crowded, and too competitive such that there is no room for play, socialisation or to have fun.

Ladies and Gentlemen, professionals have taken things for granted for too long and the time is ripe to involve the consumers.

Another problem is the fact that there is no guarantee that the education received will land a student in an office job and a payslip at the end of month or self-employment. Therefore, most students are not motivated to learn and career guidance not offered. The selections for job placement for VI students are limited and the employers are not convinced that such students can do a good job.

In conclusion, an education system should be accommodative, focused, and have a purpose. At the end of school a candidate should not receive only a living certificate but be able to integrate within the community, find a job, hold it for tomorrow and finally be able to say “ I am happy that I went to school.