gambia

Inclusive education in Africa: Look beyond the school gates

Only 2% of disabled children in Africa are attending school. This clearly isn't good enough. But what is inclusive education? Well, it's about much more than just being in the same room. We need to consider the complex reasons why disabled children are denied their right to a quality education and adopt a child-centred approach which looks beyond simple statistics.

'I thought my child was a devil'

This isn’t what you expect any parent to say of their own child. However, in many African communities, when the child in question is disabled, this is not unusual. We heard this particular statement from a father at our most recent Parent Support Meeting in Gunjur, The Gambia. But we have heard it before. And it matters – a lot – because it is these persistent and negative attitudes that isolate and disable people with impairments.