Inclusive Education Initiatives Yield Positive Results

Over the years, there has been an increase in the number of children with disabilities enrolled at Kaphuta Primary School in Mzimba district. In 2021, the school enrolled 80 and in 2022, the figure rose to 97. Currently, the school has 101 learners with various forms of disabilities.  

Parents and teachers attribute the growing numbers to sensitization meetings that have been taking place in the communities among other factors. Parents indicate that they have been encouraged to send their children to school instead of keeping them at home as they did in the past for fear of ridicule.

Previously, learners with disabilities at Kaphuta Primary School that needed specialized lessons did not have conducive classrooms. In response to a plea from the community, Save the Children through its Inclusive Education in Malawi project that was funded by the Royal Norwegian Embassy, rehabilitated a Resource Room at the school that provides support to learners with disabilities through specialized lessons that are conducted by Specialist teachers outside their mainstream classrooms.

The lessons offered in the Resource Room are designed to help these learners catch up in areas where they may be lagging behind, and are structured as remedial lessons. It is also worth noting that the children who attend these lessons are of different age groups and class levels. 

During a visit to Kaphuta Primary School by Save the Children Italy and Malawi Country Office officials and partners from St John of God and CCAP Synod of Livingstonia, Specialist Teacher Crescencia Mshanga shared the problems they were experiencing due to the small and dark room they used for lessons. However, the Resource Room has helped the children to be more open to lessons.

“The children are now more comfortable in the Resource Room and have embraced it as their class. They are coping better than before such that even their performance is improving in terms of letter recognition and addition of numbers,” She said.

The  continuation of Inclusive Education interventions , in the Securing Children's Rights through Education and Protection (SCREP) Programme has assisted teachers to ably  manage learner diversity during lessons and learners to be more welcoming and supportive towards their friends  with disabilities. Additionally, Save the Children SCREP Programme through CCAP Synod of Livingstonia has taken an active role in facilitating specialist  screening at the school to children with disabilities and provide them with recommended assistive devices and referrals for further support.