Page 44 - EdSource Issue No02

44 Inclusive Education

TRANSFORMING

EDUCATION AND

TRAINING THROUGH

INCLUSION

EVA NAPUTUNI

such, failure of an education system community to grow, to learn and
the program’s to provide education for all children develop. Children should be allowed
not only leads to an educational to join or go to any school of their
main objective is to underclass, but also breeds a social choice. And the schools should
and economic underclass which welcome them and make them feel
develop teacher’s will have serious consequences on appreciated. They should also get
society now and in the future. an opportunity to be included in all
marketability beyond learning and play activities where
In this regard, the development their peers or teachers are involved.
the classroom through of policies that support inclusive When all children, regardless of their
education at all levels of education is differences are educated together,
acquisition of relevent digital essential. Unfortunately, around the everyone benefits - this is the
world, and here in Kenya, children cornerstone of inclusive education.
and communication skills are being excluded from learning
in community, public or private What is inclusive education?
required at the modern job schools because of disability, race, Inclusive education means different
language, religion, gender and and diverse students learning side
market poverty. This should not be the case by side in the same classroom. The
because every child has the right to term inclusion here captures, in one
be supported by their parents and word, the all-embracing societal
Worldwide, there has been an
increased emphasis on the need to
extend access to education to all
children. The ratification of a number
of international conventions has
made this possible. This includes:
the Salamanca statement on special
needs education, UNESCO, 1994, the
UN convention on the Right of the
Child, 1989, and the UN international
convention on the Right of the
Persons with Disabilities (2000).

Education, according to (Grubb and
Lazerson, 2004) is a tool that can be
used to reduce poverty, to improve
the lives of individuals and groups,
and to transform societies. Providing
an inclusive education is therefore
closely linked to human, economic,
and social developmental goals. As

EdSource Quarterly | Oct-Dec l 2021