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. 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. In 2009, Inclusive Education was piloted in the Central, Greater Accra, and Eastern Region, and by 2011 it was implemented in 529 schools. involved in the training of teachers for the inclusive education pilot Ghana’s special and inclusive education system is limited project. Our approach Inclusive Education in Ghana An Analysis of Policies and the Practices in One Mainstream School and One Inclusive School in the Greater Accra Region Ida Marie Brandt Pekeberg Master thesis M.Phil. This involves qualified personnel (administrators), community involvement and support, and a political will from the government. Our approach 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. Inclusive Education Policy Implementation in Swaziland. 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. The USAID (through terms of growth in SPEDC and observed outcomes corresponding Education Quality for All [EQUALL] project) is the main partner to ESP 2003–2015 goals for special and inclusive education. The problems of Inclusive education in Ghana have been noted to be around teacher attitudes and skills, resources and a gulf between policy initiation and implementation. The forum was held under the theme: “The Implementation of Ghana’s Inclusive Education Policy: What is the progress so far”. It has promoted and supported inclusive education practices in South Africa since 1995. The Inclusive Education Policy defines the strategic path of the government for the education of all children with special educational needs. Sensitization & training 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. To roll-out these activities, UNICEF, the Ghana Blind Union, and Inclusion Ghana commenced discussions with the Ghana Education Service, the Ministry of Education, and other stakeholders to develop a policy framework. The involvement of non-state actors was key to the policy’s adoption, along with an accompanying implementation plan. ... Inclusive Education Implementation Materials Policy Initiatives To guide the practice of inclusive education in the country, the Ghana Government recently developed a policy to guide its operation (Ministry of Education, 2015). The Inclusive Education Policy defines the strategic path of the government for the education of all children with special educational needs. The policy further recognizes the varied learning needs of learners and requires all stakeholders to address the diverse needs of different groups of citizens in the Ghanaian education system. The education ... (ii) Sub-theme 2. This is to make sure that all children of school going age have Basic Education. The implementation plan provides for the expected deliverables, including indicators, budget, timeframe, actors, and collaborating ministries or agencies. The Inclusive Education Policy provides an opportunity for all stakeholders in the education sector to address the diverse learning needs of various categories of citizens in the Ghanaian education system under the universal design for learning and within a learner friendly environment for all. A Policy that stipulate that inclusive education for all children has already received approval from Mr Jacob Kor, the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service waiting for final approval from the Minister Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang. 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). aarthur@unicef.org Inclusive Education - Standards and Guidelines Putting Inclusive Education into practice in Ghana UNICEF/UN578611/QUARMYNE. It was decided to integrate them in ordinary schools, to “mainstream” them in subjects where they were able to follow the subjects and then to add special education classes to respond to their added needs. 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. Our perspective on gender equality is focused on ensuring that women and men, boys and girls are empowered to pursue their human rights and fundamental freedoms, and are valued as equal and active participants in the wellbeing of their households, workplaces, communities and societies. Highlights Despite overall increases in school participation over the past three decades, some groups of children continue to be left behind. 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. Removing barriers to participation in learning for all learners is at the core of inclusive education systems (UNESCO, 2005). Key amongst other policies developed under the custodianship of the Ministry of Education/GES, which complements and creates enabling environment for effective education service delivery is the Inclusive Education Policy Framework, which provides opportunities for learners to access quality education. The authors argue that there is the need for a holistic review of the program to ground the policy within the education system of Ghana. In-Service Tutor Development in Support of Inclusive Education. For a full copy of the Inclusive Education Policy,or if you have concerns related to learners with special educational needs, please contact: the Special Education Division (SpED) of the Ghana … Gender equality and social inclusion are, therefore, at the heart of the STAR Ghana Foundation. Beginning in the 1970s there was a new policy adopted for assuring the education of these young people. The Special Mothers Project, an advocacy and awareness creation programme on cerebral palsy has partnered with Afri-Educational plus, an education oriented organization in the United States to support Ghana’s Inclusive Education policy The Policy is a national document which is clear cut and comprehensive to give guidance to Inclusive Education implementation in Ghana. Ghana has successfully launched a national inclusive education policy framework to address the educational challenges encountered by children with special needs. From these discussions there emerged a new concept of integration called inclusive education or inclusive schools. Inclusive schools are the most effective means to combat discriminatory attitudes and to improve cost-effectiveness of the entire education system. Addressing the lack of data, UNICEF recently conducted an impact assessment, soon to be published. Other countries of the Global South can easily decide to follow Ghana’s approach. 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. 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. The Strategic A school monitoring and evaluation tool was developed and is now part of the policy scale-up process. Inclusive Education: Public Policies - FCUBE - Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education. of formal education across the country, including access to free schooling, the inclusion of technical and vocational education, and improved teacher training. The forum was held under the theme: “The Implementation of Ghana’s Inclusive Education Policy: What is the progress so far”. Tracking of success Basic education in Ghana consists of nine years of education from Primary one to the end of the three year Junior Secondary School. The Strategic Inclusive Education has been or is being adopted by most members of the United Nations. This policy is focused on the informal educational sector which … 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. The policy will be reviewed every five years. 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. 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.”. of formal education across the country, including access to free schooling, the inclusion of technical and vocational education, and improved teacher training. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION POLICY MINISTRY OF EDUCATION. anthony.boateng@mail.com, Media – UNICEF Ghana, 2014: http://www.unicef.org/ghana/media_8503.html COST (GH¢) TIME FRAME AGENCY RESPONSIBLE COLLABORATING INSTITUTIONS 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. Studies have revealed that teachers` attitudes toward students with disabilities are different, and these various differences/reasons are dependent on schools` practices of inclusion. in Comparative and International Education Institute of Educational … 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. the inclusion of children with disabilities in the mainstream school system. 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