2.5.1 Introduction 35 . Ghana’s concept of inclusive education, however, is aligned with her FCUBE policy - increasing access, retention and participation of all students of school going age in education and not the movement and provision of education to children with disabilities in regular schools. This policy builds upon sections in the 1992 Constitution, the National Development Agenda, the Education Strategic Plan and International Commitments to achieve national as well as international goals for creating an environment for addressing the diverse educational needs of Ghanaians. Inclusive Education South Africa is a registered non-profit organization. Sensitization & training The policy will be reviewed every five years. The Inclusive Education programme expanded from 29 districts in seven regions in 2011 to 216 districts in all 10 regions by 2016. jeleel@inclusion-ghana.org In Ghana, we have had about six initiatives/models of implementation of Inclusive Education. The implementation of the Inclusive Education Policy will surely help the country in its quest to provide education for all its children to equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to take up the mantle of leadership when the time comes. The Policy is a national document which is clear cut and comprehensive to give guidance to Inclusive Education implementation in Ghana. Under it, community sensitization programmes to educate parents to bring out their children for enrolment, and the right to choose the choice of schools for their children are guaranteed. Inclusive early childhood education (IECE) represents a key policy and practice implementation that facilitates the education and socialisation of all children with and without disability and special educational needs in Ghana. InclusIve educatIon PolIcy ImPlementatIon Plan2015 - 2019 Policy Objective 1: Improve and adapt education and related systems and structures to ensure the inclusion of all learners particularly learners with special educational needs STRATEGY ACTIONS/ ACTIVITIES INDICATORS EST. Both private and public schools in Ghana must implement Inclusive Education and cannot deny admission. 43 In Ghana the implementation of inclusion is well recognized and policies 44 enacted however, there are inconsistencies with regards to practices, teachers ‘varying attitudes to include children45 with learning problems as well as skewed Education materials and assistive devices have been distributed to schools. All institutions have to include Inclusive Education issues in their planning documents, which are reviewed annually. This policy builds upon sections in the 1992 Constitution, the National Development Agenda, the Education Strategic Plan and International Commitments to achieve national as well as international goals for creating an environment for addressing the diverse educational needs of Ghanaians. Addressing the lack of data, UNICEF recently conducted an impact assessment, soon to be published. This is the only way that stereotypes and ill-informed misconceptions about disabilities can be The involvement of non-state actors such as the UNICEF, STAR-Ghana, Inclusion Ghana, Ghana Blind Union, the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations, the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition, and the World Education have been crucial to the development of the policy and they acknowledged and appreciated. Gender equality Education in crisis Inclusive education Early education Learning assessments Teaching quality Data systems. Key policy drivers and priority interventions The key focal areas of education development in Ghana are contained in the Education Strategic Plan 2010–2020. Ghana has successfully launched a national inclusive education (IE) policy framework to address the educational challenges encountered by children with special needs. Ms Agnes ARTHUR, UNICEF Ghana To adapt the existing education system, special schools are transformed to serve as resource centres, school infrastructure is improved, and funding is provided. Although the influence of international organizations and policies was not obvious in Ghana's special education before the Salamanca Statement of 1994 (UNESCO, 1994), the same cannot be said about the country's special education policies after the Salamanca call to give priority to inclusive education. It shares this task with three autonomous bodies: the National Inspectorate Board (NIB), the National Teaching Council (NTC) and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) was established by an Act of Parliament in 2000, Act 581, to promote the development of education in the country. Inclusive Education policy (White Paper 6) 35 . A learner with autism supported by a caregiver, participating in mainstream school. inclusive society is dependent on how well social services are planned, prepared and supported. This policy is the outcome of a series of discussions and consultations between numerous stakeholders in the education sector. 2.5.6 Teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion 38 . Inclusive Education Policy and Practice in Ghana. It is about restructuring the cultures, policies and practices in schools so that they respond to the diversity of students in their locality. The policy is complemented by a comprehensive five-year implementation plan (2015–2019) that includes indicators, a timeframe, a budget, and responsible stakeholders for each action to be undertaken. 2.10 Implementation of Inclusive Education in selected countries . In the area of education, Enabling Education Network (EENET) was created to promote the inclusion of the marginalized The Inclusive Education Policy recognises the varied learning needs of learners and requires all stakeholders in the education sector to address the diverse needs of different groups of citizens in the Ghanaian education system under the universal design for learning and within a learner friendly environment for all children. Inclusive Education Policy In 2015, the Government of Ghana completed the development of an IE Policy together with the Inclusive Education Monitoring Tool (IEMT), Implementation Plan and the Standards/Guidelines. Social Policy and Social Spending in Zimbabwe: 1980 to 2015; Social Policy and the Quest for Inclusive Development: Research Findings from Sub-Saharan Africa; The Human Rights-Based Approach to Social Protection (Issue Brief 2) The Riddle of Distance Education: Promise, … Inclusive schools are the most effective means to combat discriminatory attitudes and to improve cost-effectiveness of the entire education system. Ghana’s Policy on Inclusive Education: A tool for national development. This Policy has been developed by the Government of Ghana - Ministry of Education, supported by UNICEF, STAR Ghana and Ghana Blind Union. By. 2.5.4 Human, material and physical support 36 . «Inclusive Education is not a tragedy. The purpose of this study was to examine teachers` attitudes in implementing Inclusive Education in primary and junior high secondary schools in two districts in Ghana (Bole and New Juaben). The brief is to support STAR-Ghana to address GP GESI constraints and serve as reference material for GPs and other stakeholders seeking to strengthen their GESI engagement through targeted advocacy. Our approach 2.8 The Inclusive Education policy 41 . Before implementing Inclusive Education on a national scale, Ghana first piloted the policy and learned what works and what does not work. Ghana’s Inclusive Education Policy provides a more harmonized and strategic approach to planning and financial prioritization in order to roll-out Inclusive Education activities on a wider scale and reach all learners with special educational needs. ... Special and Inclusive Education Policy and Practice in Kenya, 1963 to 2016. The education offered at this level, ... Inclusive Education: Public Policies - FCUBE - Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education. 2.5.2 Professional support 35 . Key policy drivers and priority interventions The key focal areas of education development in Ghana are contained in the Education Strategic Plan 2010–2020. Ghana’s policy works well in a low-income context because it sensitizes parents, communities, and staff; trains teachers in early detection techniques; and sets up support services. 2.9 Implementation of the Inclusive Education policy (White Paper 6) in selected provinces of the country (South Africa) 44 . Inclusive Education has been or is being adopted by most members of the United Nations. The Strategic inclusive education is an approach that looks into how to transform education systems and other learning environments in order to respond to the diversity of learners. Tracking of success Our approach The conclusion shows that Ghana has initiated a policy to embark on the implementation and practice of inclusive education, that is, including disabled children in the regular schools. The implementation plan provides for the expected deliverables, including indicators, budget, timeframe, actors, and collaborating ministries or agencies. This includes the use of different methods of respond to children’s needs, capacities and rates of development. In 2013, the Ghana Ministry of Education in collaboration with other stakeholders announced the Inclusive Education Policy. The story of Kofi: “My class became a virtual sea of pictures.”, Innovative Practices on Employment and ICT 2021, Innovative Practices 2020 on Inclusive Education and ICT, Practicas Innovadoras 2020 Sobre Educacion Inclusiva, Innovative Practices 2019 on Independent Living, Innovative Practices 2018 on Accessibility, Innovative Policies 2021 on Inclusive Education and ICT, Innovative Policies 2020 on Inclusive Education and ICT, Políticas Innovadoras 2020 sobre Educación Inclusiva Y TIC, Innovative Policies 2019 on Independent Living, Innovative Policies 2018 on Accessibility, Life Stories from Innovative Policies and Practices, Inclusive Education rolled-out throughout Ghana, Mandatory minimum standards for education in emergencies, Transatlantic e-Accessibility standards cooperation, http://www.unicef.org/ghana/media_8503.html, Inclusive Education rolled out throughout Ghana (PDF), Inclusive Education rolled out throughout Ghana (barrier-free DOC), The story of Kofi: “My class became a virtual sea of pictures.”. Ignorance is..». Ensuring that #LearningNeverStops in the COVID-19 pandemic, Changing the future for girls in Krachie East through STEM, 400,000 children in Ghana not enrolled in pre-primary education - UNICEF, Improving the lives of children with special needs, THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD. A 2014 doctoral thesis noted that there is evidence of acceptance of children with disabilities into mainstream schools in Ghana, but that a number of challenges remain. The Policy and its Development Process •Ghana’s IE Policy is a framework that contains a more harmonized and strategic approach to planning, implementing and monitoring IE activities on a wider scale to reach all learners with SEN in the country. To promote a learner-friendly school environment, curricula and teacher training are reviewed and resources are provided. Volume 1 of Ghana’s Education Strategic Plan 2010 – 2020 covers policies, strategies, delivery and finance. Ghana’s Inclusive Education Policy of 2013 is a national legally-binding policy. Gender equality Education in crisis Inclusive education Early education Learning assessments Teaching quality Data systems. A school monitoring and evaluation tool was developed and is now part of the policy scale-up process. Policy implementation is assumed by its numerous agencies; the Ghana Education Service (GES) is responsible for the coordination of national education policy on pre-tertiary education. aarthur@unicef.org The development of inclusive education in Ghana has been recognized as the process for orchestrating educational quality and equity for students with disabilities. From these discussions there emerged a new concept of integration called inclusive education or inclusive schools. of formal education across the country, including access to free schooling, the inclusion of technical and vocational education, and improved teacher training. 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