National Initiatives which Promote the Access to Education, Training and
Lifelong Learning for People with Disabilities - Federal Democratic Republic of
Ethiopia
National Initiatives which
Promote the Access to Education, Training and Lifelong Learning for
People with Disabilities - Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Educational rehabilitation is to enable persons with disabilities to become
self reliant using the knowledge they acquire by creating as equal opportunities
as any other citizen in regular and non-regular educational programs. In this
respect in the new Educational and Training Policy of the Country this statement
is mentioned in its "detail objective " to make possible for persons
with disabilities and those with extra ordinary talent meaning those who require
special educational approach to learn in accordance with their ability and
needs.
In addition to this, regarding special education service, "designing
special education programs at different levels for persons with disabilities and
those with special talent" is indicated in the policy.
In the country the visual impaired are served in 4 special boarding schools,
one special day school, 23 special classes. Deaf and speech impaired are
learning in 3 special boarding schools, 5 special day schools, and 31 special
classes. Mentally retarded are served in 2 special day schools and 29 special
classes.
Considering the educational participation of persons with disabilities in
1999 academic year, the information available from the Ministry of Education
disclosed that the number of persons with disabilities who attended special
education was 3727.
From this figure, 870 males and 618 females, totally 1488 were blinds; 940
males and 735 females totally 1675 were deafs and special impaired, 272 males
and 209 females totally 481 were mentally retarded, 88 males and 55 females
totally 143 were with other types of disabilities. Along with this 187 males and
113 females totally 300 teachers are engaged in special education service.
Special education service is undergoing in most part of' the country in
collaboration with governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Eventhough there is no reliable information that enables to figure out the
number of school aged population with disabilities, it is not difficult to
estimate that the size of persons with disabilities who could not get
educational opportunities is enormous when compared with the total number of
persons with disabilities. Among the principal problems that are stated for this
are:
Limited number of special education service rendering institutions and
teachers.
Scarcity of special education teaching aid materials
Lack of complete sign language which could serve nationally.
Low -participation of persons with disabilities in regular educational
program due to distance and inaccessibility of setting of educational
institutions.
Low level of awareness of the community ; to send , children with
disabilities to school.
Lack of clear and uniform implementation directive regarding special
education. etc
Therefore, it is essential that concerned bodies should exert proper effort
to enable persons with disabilities to become full participants in the
educational sector as any citizen by providing appropriate teaching aids as per
their type of disabilities, strengthening special education service with better
organization and making educational institutions easily accessible.
Assist educational participation of persons with disabilities with
provision of special education teaching aids.
Aquaint teachers, principals and other relevant educational professionals
with basic knowledge about disability and special education
Increase the number and professional capability of special education
teachers.
Provide all the necessary support for persons with disabilities to enable
them pursue their education properly.
Involve associations of persons with disabilities and their families in
designing and implementation of education:
Facilitate school premises to be accessible for mobility and over all
involvement of persons with disabilities:
Raise participation of children with disabilities in pre-school programs.
Integrate persons with disabilities to attend regular educational programs
with able bodied fellows.
Establish coordination of work among different bodies who render special
education service.
Involve non-governmental organizations and the community at large in
provision of special education service.
Raise awareness of the community to enhance the educational participation
of persons with disabilities in general and women with disabilities in
particular.
Strengthen and expand special education service rendering institutions
throughout the country specially in rural areas.
Adequately supply special education aid instruments such as Braille, as
late and styles, abacus; Tape recorder, hearing aid, interpreter service
etc.
Facilitate necessary conditions for duty free importation of special
education aid instruments from abroad .
Incorporate in the curriculum of teacher training institutions about
disabilities and special education to acquaint the trainees with the
subject.
Train and place special education teachers and other professionals ill
various fields as deemed necessary locally and abroad. And conduct
continuous on the job training.
Provide various incentives which support persons with severe disabilities
and who are unable to attend school due to lack of economic capacity so that
they actively pursue their education.
Enhance contribution of parents and associations of persons-with
disabilities that help to increase educational participation of persons with
disabilities.
Make premises of educational institutions buildings and roads with in
their compound and other service rendering centers, accessible to persons
with disabilities.
Organize pre-schools premises accessible to in a condition that they can
accept children with disabilities and formulate regulations and directives
which enhance this task
Facilitate conducive situations for schools to admit and teach persons
with disabilities as any other student in the regular educational programs.
Establish the necessary system which enables parties who are engaged in
catering special education services and support them to perform coordinated
activities.
Encourage and support the community to have its own contribution in the
expansion of special education service.
Educate and sensitize schools, communities, families and the general
public about special education service and participation of persons with
disabilities in the education sector using all possible means.
Make special support available to enhance educational participation of
female students with disabilities.
Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of
Health, Ministry of Information and Culture, Ministry of Economic Development
and Cooperation, Federal Board of Revenue, Association of parents of persons
with Disabilities, Federation of persons with Disabilities, Non-governmental
Organizations, Teachers' Associations, and others as may be necessary.
Vocational rehabilitation is one of the components of rehabilitation and is a
task exercised to enable persons with disabilities to become self reliant and
make proper contribution for their nation by being equipped with useful skill
which could be a base for their future life. In this sector, though effort are
being made to deliver vocational training services for persons with disabilities
by various governmental and non-governmental organizations, the size of
beneficiaries is very limited compared to the number of needy for the service.
Regarding vocational training institutions, as the number of institutions
established specially for persons with disabilities is very few, a considerable
number of persons with disabilities have not had the opportunity to undergo such
training. On the other hand, because existing, established institutions were not
organized in such a way that they are appropriate for admitting and training
persons with disabilities and also were not ready to accommodate them, persons
with disabilities were unable to be equal beneficiaries of the opportunity as
any other citizen.
Inspite of the fact that some Non-governmental Organizations have set up
vocational training centers it is possible to suggest that their impact in
upgrading sustainable lives of the beneficiaries was minimal for they have very
limited capacity and concentrated on training streams that are highly saturated
and have fierce competition.
The Developmental Social Welfare Policy which was prepared by Ministry of
Labour and Social Affairs and adopted recently, provides for creating conditions
where rules, regulations, programs and services could be strengthened and
expanded which enhance vocational training and placement opportunities for
persons with disabilities. Accordingly necessary efforts have to be made to
enable persons with disabilities to become beneficiaries of equal opportunity in
vocational training.
Another issue related with vocational rehabilitation is employment of persons
with disabilities. Efforts are made to enable persons with disabilities capable
of supporting themselves and their family by being engaged in income generating
fields commensurate with their capacity and ability.
Unemployment is widespread socio-economic problem in our county. Although
this problem affects all sections of the society, it is most aggravated on
persons with disabilities.
Despite the fact that the Conventions and Recommendations adopted by
International Labour Organization concerning vocational training and employment
of persons with disabilities contain several issues reminding member states to
implement them, the level of development of our socio economy has not allowed to
put them into action.
Taking this situation into account the Government of Ethiopia has issued
Proclamation No. 101/1994 in August 1994, concerning the rights of disabled
persons to employment. However, it has become difficult to put this proclamation
into effect due to delay of drafting regulations and directives for
implementation. As a consequence several persons with disabilities capable of
working are deprived of equal opportunity to be employed in vacancies available
merely due to their disabilities. It is observed that even those who are
employed are encountered with obstacles as conductive situations required to
perform their jobs are not fulfilled.
Therefore, it is imperative to create all the necessary conditions suitable
to motivate persons with disabilities to engage themselves in work fields
available in the country which fits to their ability and capacity and which
enable them to be self sufficient and job creators.
Increase the coverage of vocational rehabilitation service.
Facilitate conditions by reforming vocational training centers to be
appropriate for persons with disabilities to be integrated with able bodied
persons.
Produce competent professionals in the field of vocational rehabilitation.
Conduct study and research in the field of vocational rehabilitation.
Establish operational procedures which encourage vocational training of
persons with disabilities.
Establish sheltered workshops where persons with disabilities could be
employed as may be necessary.
Provide support and incentives for organizations that employ persons with
disabilities.
Implement proclamation No. 101/94 which regulates employment of persons
with disabilities.
Facilitate situations in which persons with disabilities could create self
employment.
Organize persons with disabilities in self-help work groups and
associations.
Create conducive working situation for persons with disabilities.
Raise awareness of the community in order to motivate the participation of
persons with disabilities in general and women with disabilities in
particular in vocational rehabilitation and employment.
Make use of basic skill training centers in rural areas.
Strengthen the existing vocational training centers by man power and
appropriate production equipments.
Establish new vocational training centers at different localities.
Make buildings and roads of vocational training centers accessible to
persons with disabilities.
Train and deploy adequate professionals in various vocational streams.
Train persons with disabilities by integrating them with able bodied
persons.
Gather, compile and implement information that clearly identify suitable
vocational; streams for persons with disabilities at different levels.
Adopt the screening criteria for vocational training center in the coιuntry
to accommodate persons with disabilities.
Establish, as need arises, production and service giving institutions at
different level in which persons with disabilities could be employed and
strengthen the already available ones.
Provide various incentives for individuals and organizations who
establishes institutions where persons with disabilities could be employed.
Provide appropriate support and incentives (such as exemption from income
tax and duty free etc) for employers as per the number of persons with
disabilities employed.
Issue and follow-up implementation of regulations and directives for
Proclamation No. 101/94, providing employment of persons with disabilities.
Encourage by providing the following for those persons with disabilities
who exert efforts to support themselves either by creating jobs individually
or in self help groups or organizations.
Initial capital and credit service
Technical support
Material support
Duty free and income tax exemption etc.
Provide with the following facilities for persons with disabilities to
perform their duty efficiently:
Suitable working environment and instrument
Personal assistance services
Interpreter services (for sign language)
Give special attention and incentive for women with disabilities in
vocational training and employment.
Disseminate education and sensitization towards raising awareness of the
community at various levels regarding equal opportunity and full
participation of persons with disabilities in the field of vocational
training and employment.
Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of
Economic Development and Cooperation, Federal Civil Service Commission,
Investment Authority, Federal Board of Revenue Ministry of Trade and Industry
Employers Federation, Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Union, Associations of
persons with disabilities, Ethiopian Federation of Persons with disabilities,
Non-Governmental Organizations, Regional Administrations and other as required.
