Young people’sviews of inclusiveeducation

YoungVoices

Young people’sviews of inclusiveeducation

YoungVoices

Published by:

The Atlas AllianceSchweigaardsgt 12PO Box 9218 Grønland0134 Oslo, NorwayTel: +47 22 17 46 47Fax: +47 23 16 35 95Email: atlas@atlas-alliansen.noWebsite: www.atlas-alliansen.no

First published: September 2008

This booklet was compiled by Ingrid Lewis. The accompanying DVD was filmed andedited by Åse Drivenes.

This booklet is also available online from the websites of the Atlas Alliance(www.atlas-alliansen.no) and the Enabling Education Network (www.eenet.org.uk).A Kiswahili translation is available.

Copies of the DVD are available from EENET, c/o ESI, School of Education,University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.Email: info@eenet.org.uk.

Cover photo by Ingrid Lewis.

ContentsAcknowledgements ................................................2

Introduction ............................................................3

Students’ views on inclusive education ................11

Environment ..............................................................................11

Policy ........................................................................................22

Practices ....................................................................................24

Resources ..................................................................................33

Attitudes ....................................................................................40

Some final thoughts ..............................................46

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This book would not have been possiblewithout the enthusiasm, dedication andwisdom of the students who took part in theYoung Voices project. We cannot thank themenough for sharing with us – and the rest ofthe world – their insights and feelings abouttheir education. We hope they will continue tospeak out about how to make education moreinclusive for everyone. Thanks also go to theparents and guardians of Ally Iddi and OmariChota for making us welcome in their homes.

We would like to thank the staff from AgururuPrimary School and Rock High School inTororo, Uganda and Bigwa Folk DevelopmentCollege (FDC) in Morogoro, Tanzania, forsupporting the project and giving theirstudents the opportunity to participate.

In Tanzania we also wish to thank TanzaniaAssociation of Mentally Handicapped (TAMH),Evena Massae, Pulcheria Ndamgoba, AbdallahMng’obwa, the Ministry of Education andVocational Training, and the Ministry ofCommunity Development, Gender and Children.In Uganda our thanks go to Moses Moiza,Simon Obbo, the Ministry of Gender Labour andSocial Development, including the Departmentof Disability and Elderly, and the Tororo Districtadministration and education staff.

Finally, we are grateful to the AtlasAlliance and Operation Days Work forfunding Young Voices.

Ingrid Lewis, project facilitatorÅse Drivenes, film-maker

Acknowledgements

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Introduction

Around the world, many young people are notable to go to school because of poverty anddiscrimination. They may be discriminatedagainst, for example, because they aredisabled, girls, refugees, working children, orfrom a certain ethnic, religious or languagegroup. Even when young people go to school,many struggle to join in the lessons and leaveschool without learning much.

Inclusive education involves changing manythings within a school, or across a country’seducation system, so that all young peoplefeel welcome in, gain access to, and benefitfrom education – even if they have previouslybeen left out.

Inclusive educationMany people think inclusive education is onlyabout making schools more physicallyaccessible for students with disabilities. Butinclusion is more complicated than that. Itinvolves all parts of young people’s educationexperiences, and requires a continuousprocess of making big and small changes.These changes should help more youngpeople to attend school, to participate inlearning and social activities, and to achieveto the best of their abilities.

For education to become more inclusive, therehave to be changes to people’s attitudes; theirpractices; the environment; local, national andinternational policies; and the way thatresources are distributed and used.

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Since 2003, the Atlas Alliance, through theNorwegian Association of Disabled (NAD)and the Norwegian Association for Personswith Developmental Disabilities (NFU), hasbeen supporting inclusion projects for youngpeople in Malawi, Uganda, mainlandTanzania and Zanzibar. These projects havebeen evaluated by adults, but the views ofthe young people involved have not alwaysbeen recorded in detail. Therefore, the YoungVoices project asked Tanzanian andUgandan young people with and withoutdisabilities to talk about their experiences ofinclusive education. What makes them feelincluded in, or excluded from, education?

The main aim of the Young Voices projectwas to create a book and a film, showcasingthe views and photography of these youngpeople. But we hope that it will alsoencourage other adults and young people tothink about what makes their schoolsinclusive, to carry out similar projects, andto work together to solve any problems, sothat their schools become more inclusivefor everyone.

The Young Voices projectWhy did we do the project?

Not every student likes writing, or speaking infront of a large group, or being interviewed byadults. So the Young Voices project used arange of different activities, to allow eachstudent to find a way of communicating thatmade them feel comfortable.

PhotographyWe showed the students photographs takenin other schools and communities in Africaand Asia. They discussed these photographsand decided which ones they liked or disliked,which ones looked happy or sad, and whichones looked the same or different from theirown experience of education/school/community. Using photographs to start adiscussion like this is called ‘photo elicitation’.We then trained the students to use simpledigital cameras.

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What activities did we do during the project?They took photographs around their school ofplaces that they liked/disliked, or that they foundwelcoming/unwelcoming. We used a portableprinter to print the photographs. The studentsthen made posters to display their photographs.Some of them wrote words, drew pictures, orstuck flowers on their posters to make thembright and attractive. See page 9 for an example.

We asked the students to tell us about theirphotographs – sometimes in one-to-oneinterviews,or in smallgroups, or bypresenting theirposters toeveryone inthe room.

Ally and Aron practise using acamera, Bigwa FDC

DrawingWe asked students to draw pictures. InUganda they drew pictures of what madethem happy and unhappy at school. InTanzania they drew a simple cartoon strip ofthree pictures showing: “what I used to dobefore I came to this college; what I like doingmost at college; and what I hope to do when Ileave the college”.

DramaIn Tanzania the students made some shortrole plays about: a good teacher, a badteacher, and a bad student.

DiscussionsIn Tanzania the students also held adiscussion about “what role do teachers,parents and students have in ensuring thateveryone gets a quality inclusive education?”.

FilmingAll of these activities were filmed. The film,which accompanies this book, shows thestudents working on the Young Voices project,studying in their classes, playing with friends,and being interviewed.

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Who participated?In total 55 students took part:

•Rock High School, Tororo, Uganda – 25students, 15 female and 10 male.

•Agururu Primary School, Tororo, Uganda –16 students, 7 female and 9 male.

•Bigwa FDC, Morogoro, Tanzania – 14students, 8 female and 6 male.

In each school there was amix of students withand without disabilities, and amix of girls andboys. This included students who had physicalor intellectual disabilities, and those who wereblind or visually impaired or deaf.

The schoolsAll of the schools are striving to be inclusive.Agururu Primary School opened in 1980.In 1996 a special unit for children withdisabilities was opened within the school.However, the school is now committed to

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working towards inclusive education, so thatchildren with and without disabilities can learntogether. It now has 718 pupils, of whom 174have disabilities.

Rock High School is an equal opportunitypost-primary school. In 2006 the OperationDays Work youth project trained the teachersin inclusive education. Since then, both teachersand students have worked to make the schoolinclusive for all learners. The school has 180students with disabilities out of a total of 2,871.

Bigwa FDC offers vocational education tostudents with and without disabilities fromrural areas, many of whom have not completedprimary or secondary school. It also enablesstudents to continue with some academicstudies. The college promotes student-centredlearning and encourages students to learnfrom and support each other throughout theirstudies and leisure time.

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Participants from Agururu Primary SchoolParticipants from Bigwa FDC

Participants from Rock High School

The students took excellent photographs andcreated great drawings. They also discussed avery wide range of inclusive education issues,and made some important observations andrecommendations.

Some of the students were very shy at thestart of the project. The project only lastedabout five days in each school. But evenduring this short time, some of the shystudents became much more confident atexpressing their ideas and feelings.

The project showed the teachers thatstudents can be very good at discussingmatters that affect their inclusion ineducation. It also reminded the adults justhow important it is to listen to the views ofyoung people in relation to education.

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Because the project was very short, there wasnot enough time for every student whoparticipated to become confident and relaxedwhile doing these new activities and talking tostrangers. Some of them, therefore, may nothave told us as much as they would have liked.

An example of a photo posterfrom Agururu Primary School

What were the successes and challenges of the project?

Language was also a challenge, particularlyin Agururu Primary School. At Agururu,students speak seven different ‘mothertongue’ languages, and translators for all ofthese languages were not available to usduring the project. All lessons in the schoolare conducted in English, so the students didthe project in English. But they found it quitedifficult to find the right words, especiallywhen they were trying to talk about ‘new’ ordifferent ideas and feelings related toinclusion and exclusion.

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How have we organised whatthe students said?The students who participated in the YoungVoices project took almost 200 photographsand created many drawings. They spoke andwrote a lot about their views of inclusion andexclusion in education. Unfortunately wecannot publish everything here. So, we havemainly selected those photographs anddrawings that students talked about in detail.We have also had to choose images that willreproduce clearly in a book.

The images and quotations have beenpresented in five sections – environment,policy, practices, resources and attitudes.These are five very important areas wherestudents feel change needs to happen ifeducation is to become more inclusive foreveryone.

EnvironmentThe environment in and around a school canreally affect whether young people are able toattend, or actually want to go to school. Thestudents’ photographs show us the widerange of environmental issues that areimportant to them.

These issues include: the condition ofclassrooms; the availability of quiet places toread or meet friends; whether they can movearound the school easily; and whether toiletsare accessible and clean.

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Students’ views on inclusive education

What the students’ photographs show veryclearly is that everyone has their own needsand views regarding what makes anenvironment welcoming and accessible.

12 Photo by Ally Iddi

“I like this place. It’s coolhere. It’s where we meetfriends and talk. It’s a goodplace to relax and rest.”Ally Iddi, student with intellectualdisability, Bigwa FDC

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“There are stones on theground, we can trip over them.”Isaac Otedo, student with physicaldisability, Agururu Primary School

“The big stones shouldn’t bethere. Children can pick thestones and throw themduring fights.”Michael Hashaya, student with physicaldisability, Agururu Primary School

Photo by Isaac Otedo

14 Photo by Aron Nducha

“I don’t like this forestbecause it is very dense.It is also close to our boys’dormitory so it brings badinsects and snakes as well.”Aron Nducha, student,Bigwa FDC

15Photo by Florence Asabit

“I love looking at the rock. The schoolmotto says ‘climb to the top’. The rockrepresents our school and reflects thebeauty of our school. It gave the schoolits name and encourages us to excel,to climb to the top.”Florence Asabit, student, Rock High School

Photo by William Osinde

“Classrooms arecongested. The schooladmits a high numberof students... [Here]people are working...they are improving ourstandards in school.They are building newclassrooms. The buildingwill also have halls andanother library.”William Osinde, student,Rock High School

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Photo by Irene Athieno 17

“This new building looksgood. It is the most beautifulblock in the whole school.I feel good when I am in thisblock. But I am glad myclassroom is on the groundfloor. I couldn’t manageif I was put on the upper floor.”Irene Athieno, student with physicaldisability, Rock High School

18 Photo by Isaac Otedo

“The dormitory isclean. This helps toprevent disease.”Isaac Otedo, student withphysical disability,Agururu Primary School

“The dormitory isgood because it has asmart bed for me to liein. And the box keepsmy things safe.”Lukuman Mutoto,deaf student,Agururu Primary School

19Photo by Mwajuma Tepe Tepe

“I like this photoof the classroombecause it shows agood environmentand in there we learndifferent things.”Mwajuma Tepe Tepe,student with visualimpairment, Bigwa FDC

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“This is good. Thereis a bathroom here forthose with physicaldisabilities whocannot access theother bathrooms.”Winny Auma, deaf student,Agururu Primary School

Photo by Winny Auma

Photo by Scovia Awino 21

“This is a bad latrine.It is hard for me to useit without touching.”Scovia Awino, student withphysical disability

“They should buildanother latrine becausethis one is about to getfull. Or if they can’t buildanother one they can atleast clean this one.”Victoria Esaete, student

“Most especially in thehostel, I find it verydifficult whereby there isno toilet that is fit for meas a person with disability.”Moses Ochom,student with physicaldisability, Rock High School

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PolicyThe rules that govern a school oreducation system can influencepeople’s attitudes and behaviour.This in turn can either help orhinder students’ inclusion.

We did not specifically ask studentsto discuss education policies, buttheir opinions offer us suggestionsabout what does or does not makea good inclusive education policy.

They mentioned a wide range ofissues that education policy-makers need to consider, fromreligion and language to disabilityand timetabling.

“In this school, every religion isrecognised and allowed to worship freely.That makes me feel included.”Emmanuel Papaok, student with physicaldisability, Rock High School

“I feel included in this school becausethere is freedom of expression, speechandmovement.”Juliana Atwine, student, Rock High School

“We all pay equal fees regardless of thelanguage one speaks or the country oneis from. In this school every child iswelcomed regardless of their nationality.”John Ojiro, student, Rock High School

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“I feel not included in that I am not infavour of staying in school from 6am to7pm. It makes me hate school since I amnot given any time for leisure.”Alex Owori, student, Rock High School

“There are too many subjectsand this makes me feel notincluded.”Hellen Nalubanga, student,Rock High School

“In class, I go and learn with myfriends properly and we are mixed, notseparated like ‘you’re disabled sit hereand those ones sit here’. No, we aremixed and that makes me happy.”Isaac Otedo, student with physical disability,Agururu Primary School

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The way things are done in school can reallyaffect whether students are included in thelearning process. The students who took partin the Young Voices project told us aboutdifferent approaches to teaching and learningthat can help them to receive a better qualityeducation.

They mentioned the importance ofencouraging students to help each other withacademic and social activities, and not always

relying on teachers and other adults.The students also talked about their views onbeing actively involved in lessons, not justlistening passively to a lecture by the teacher.

And they highlighted how essential it is tohave leisure time and friends in school – thiscan have a big impact on a student’s sense ofinclusion as well as on their educationalachievements.

Practices

25Drawing by William Osinde, Rock High School

“We need to be co-operative andask classmates for help. Weshouldn’t just wait for the teacher –our friends can explain thingsto us as well.”Mwajuma Tepe Tepe, student with visualimpairment, Bigwa FDC

“We need to ask questions of eachother. In class, if there is no teacher,we have to help each other.”Witness Ngimbuch, student,Bigwa FDC

“Good numbers of students areat school. We can form a goodnumber of discussion groups todiscuss our work.”James Okello, student,Rock High School

26 Photo by Dickson Msemo

“I like the library, it iswell arranged. When theteacher is teaching youcan forget issues, but ifyou read by yourself youcan remember more.”Dickson Msemo, student,Bigwa FDC

“We go to the library toread. We watch videos,learn different things andthen have debates anddiscussions about whatwe read or saw.”Mwajuma Ally, student withvisual impairment, Bigwa FDC

27Photo by David Mgowano

“This is theworkshopwhere we docarpentryactivities.”David Mgowano,student,Bigwa FDC

“We get tolearn differentprofessions herewhich is good forour future.”Eufrosina Nkinga,student,Bigwa FDC

28 Photo by Alex Owori

“The science lab isa place where theymake us do thingspractically. Manythings are theory, butif we have a chance todo practicals it helpsus learn how to makethings that we use insociety today.”Alex Owori, student,Rock High School

29Photo by Omari Chota

“We get newsfrom the TV in thelibrary. When I’mwatching I can bewell informedabout what’sgoing on aroundthe world.”Omari Chota, studentwith intellectualdisability, Bigwa FDC

30 Photo by Tausi Saidi

“We sometimes use this place for discussiongroups, for student debates. For example, wemight debate, ‘is earning money better thangetting education or vice versa?’. Those who sayeducation is better are winning the debate so far.”Tausi Saidi, student, Bigwa FDC

31Photo by Mariam Abdallah

“This is the door fora room where ourfellow student whopassed away wasliving. This remindsme of her wheneverI see this door.”Mariam Abdallah,student with visualimpairment,Bigwa FDC

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Drawing by Lukuman Mutoto, deaf student,Agururu Primary School

Playing cricket, Agururu Primary School.Photo by Claire Nagami

“Participating in activities like singingand dancing makes me feel I’m included.”Scovia Awino, student with physical disability,Rock High School

“Many friends makes me feel includedin this school because they help mewhen I am faced with hard tasks.”Rachael Nadunga, student, Rock High School

Photo by Mariam Abdallah 33

ResourcesThe availability of resources can greatly affectstudents’ presence, participation andachievement in education.

The students who participated in the YoungVoices project highlighted how importantaccess to food and water are to them, if theyare to be included in education.

They talked about these much more than theytalked about traditional educational resourcessuch as books, desks or access ramps.

34 Photo by Lukuman Mutoto

“This tap provides easyaccess to water andthere is good drainagehere. This is goodbecause we can getwater in a very orderlymanner. It’s good tohave drainage becausethe water that flowsthrough it helps thebanana plantation.”Lukuman Mutoto,deaf student,Agururu Primary School

35Photo by Winny Auma

“The water tank isgood because it helpsus harvest rain water.If there is no rain wecan still have goodclean water to drink.Sometimes whenthere’s not enoughwater in the tank wehave to go into thevillage to fetch water.It’s hard work.”Winny Auma, deaf student,Agururu Primary School

“I feel included if I miss food[because there is not enough foreveryone] and I go to one of myteachers and he/she gives memoney to go and buy my own food,and then I feel loved in school. I feelnot included when I miss lunch andthe teacher in charge tells me‘no problem, you are fat so thereis no need for you to eat’.”Pauline Awori, student,Rock High School

“Sometimes there is a poorer dietat school than at home. There isdifficulty getting food and waterbecause the line will be long.”Mary Amoding, student,Rock High School

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Drawing by Pauline Awori

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“This porridge –it’s fake, nosugar!”Ismail Etyang,blind student,Agururu PrimarySchool

Photo by Ismail Etyang

38 Photo by Juliana Atwine

“I took this photo because itshows lack of hygiene andsanitation. It shows that thefood cooked is not healthy andcan cause various diseases anddiahorrea. A student can beaffected in class because everytime he/she is in and out ofclass because of diarrhoeathey miss lessons, leading tofailure and punishments iffound outside.”Juliana Atwine, student,Rock High School

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“What makes me to feel not includedin this school is because my parentsare poor, they can’t provide me withenough books. This makes my lifedifficult in the school.

They also can’t buy me everythingwhich I am supposed to have likeclothes. Being in school without booksand pens also makes me feel notincluded because teachers used tosend me out because I don’t havebooks to write in.”Jackline Auma, student, Rock High School

“I am unhappy when I see childrenwho are poor”Blantina Nyachwo, deaf student,Agururu Primary School Drawing by Blantina Nyachwo

The attitudes of other people can either supportor discourage students from attending school.

The students who participated in the YoungVoices project said that they need their parents toencourage and support them to get an education.

They explained that their own attitudes, andthose of fellow students, can affect theirparticipation and achievement in education.

The attitudes of teachers, head teachers andother school staff were also mentioned by thestudents as being very important for helpingthem to join in and benefit from education to thebest of their ability.

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Attitudes

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John Ojiro from Rock High School drew thispicture (right) about how students’ attitudescan make other students feel unwelcomein school:

Unhappy when isolated andstigmatised

“God why?!! Whatdo I do? Even my friends arerebelling against me!!”

“Look at that stupid Form One.How can he call me! Do I havetime to associate with him?”

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“If a parent has a child with a disability, they ought to takehim/her to school, because some of them keep theirchildren at home. But they should take them to school.”Tausi Saidi, student, Bigwa FDC

“Parents have to bring a letterand say ‘my child would like tostudy vocational training’.”Omari Chota, student with intellectualdisability, Bigwa FDC

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“We have people with specialrequirements here. If we seesomeone with problems we haveto be tolerant and help them –we are not all the same.”Dickson Msemo, student, Bigwa FDC

“As a person with a disability I also need a good future whereby I cantake care of my family in future. In this world of ours it needs at least aperson to have gone to school and be seen as a person. And I have tolearn how to co-operate with others in different ways, like the dangerof not being co-operative in society, school and community at large.”Moses Ochom, student with physical disability, Rock High School

“We should work hard asstudents. We should tryto get the education wecame here for.”Teresia Kisawani,student with intellectualdisability, Bigwa FDC

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“A good teacher recognisesthat there are students withspecial needs and is readyto assist them.”Dickson Msemo, student,Bigwa FDC

“The teacher has to lovehis students.”Ally Iddi, student with intellectualdisability, Bigwa FDC

“In my former school bothpupils and teachers used tolaugh at me when I failed tosay something, since Icouldn’t pronounce wordsproperly and they wouldn’tlet me talk. But in this schoolif students laugh at me,teachers stop them and theyask forgiveness.”Pauline Awori, student,Rock High School

“I am given attention,especially when it comes toasking questions that I don’tknow [the answer to]. They[the teachers] answer itwithout grumbling.”Alex Owori, student, Rock HighSchool

Photo by Nassoro Kasebeya 45

“This is thePrincipal’s office.I like it. WheneverI have a problemI go here to askfor help, andshe helps.”Nassoro Kasebeya,student withintellectual disability,Bigwa FDC

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Some final thoughts...

“To me inclusion means beingpart of something... being partof different activities andsocieties like football, education,music, dance and drama.”Juliana Atwine, student,Rock High School

“[Being in an inclusiveschool] makes us learn howwe can help each other andalso understand thateducation is for everybody...”Pauline Awori, student,Rock High School

“We need to listen if we aregoing to understand...”Angel Kejo, student, Bigwa FDC

“We need to love each other.”Aron Nducha, student, Bigwa FDC

The Atlas AllianceSchweigaardsgt 12PO Box 9218 Grønland0134 Oslo, NorwayTel: +47 22 17 46 47Fax: +47 23 16 35 95Email: atlas@atlas-alliansen.noWebsite: www.atlas-alliansen.no

Young VoicesYoung people’s views of inclusive education

“This booklet of students’ photographs, drawings andopinions illustrates efforts to make inclusive educationreally happen. Issues raised by the young people rangefrom policy, attitudes and behaviour, to resourceallocation and environmental issues.

The booklet showed me the need forcollective responsibility and action from educationpolicy-makers, managers, administrators,teachers, parents, caregivers and studentsin changing the perceptions of educationalneeds for children with and withoutdisabilities.”

Moses Moiza, Acting Senior CommunityDevelopment Officer – Elderly and Disability,Tororo, Uganda