Inclusive Education in Africa: Every Child’s Right to Quality Education

Facilitators:

• Dr. Judith McKenzie, Director, Including Disability in Education in Africa (IDEA), University of Cape Town.

• Tobiloba Ajayi, Chief Responsibility Officer, The Let Cerebral Palsy Kids Learn Foundation

• Alyssa Regina, Doctor of Occupational Therapy Student, MGH Institute of Health Professions

The UDIA Stakeholder Series is an advocacy and education effort designed to ignite thoughts on how to promote the practice of Universal Design in Africa. Universal Design is a design process that takes human diversity into consideration and seeks to produce spaces, products, or services that are usable by a wide range of persons regardless of their age, size, gender, or ability.

This 2nd session will focus on “Inclusive Education in Africa: Every Child’s Right to Quality Education”. Every child has a right to quality and inclusive education. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) recognizes the right to inclusive education for all persons with disabilities including children.

Inclusive education is an educational system that welcomes, supports, and includes ALL children to learn so as to protect every child’s right to education, and equip children with disabilities with the skills and knowledge required to work and make social and economic contribution to society.

This session will highlight what the educational landscape looks like in Africa, present evidence-based feedback on what measures that need to be taken, identify the roles of different stakeholders in making inclusive education possible, and highlight learning resources.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

All stakeholders in the educational sector including staff of Government Educational Agencies & Ministries, Educational departments, Private and Public-School Administrators, Organizations of People with Disabilities, Teachers, Teachers-in-training, Occupational Therapists, Parents, Students and YOU!

About UDIA

The Universal Design Initiative for Africans (UDIA) is an education and design nonprofit that aims to influence the culture of design in Africa through the practice of and advocacy for inclusive design in the design of spaces, products, and services. UDIA seeks to create environments that welcome everyone across the spectrum of ability, age and culture and promotes the practice of Universal Design, a design process that takes human diversity into consideration and seeks to produce spaces, buildings, products or services which are usable by a wide range of persons regardless of their age, size, gender or ability. UDIA also analyzes new and existing spaces and products through the lens of Universal Design with the goal of seeking opportunities for features that will minimize functional limitations and support access, full participation, and a sense of belonging while enhancing the experience of everyone. Learn more here.

Agenda

5 mins – Introduction

25 mins – An Overview of Inclusive Education With a Focus on Africa: Trends, Solutions and Learning resources - Dr. McKenzie

25 mins - Inclusive Education In Nigeria: Trends & Solutions - Ms. Ajayi

15 mins – Presentation of Research Findings: Thesis on Inclusive Design in Western African Schools - Ms. Regina

20 mins - Q & A/Closing