Your letters/emails

Your letters/emails

m99miles@hotmail.com

Attitude change towards inclusion in Namibia…

I am writing to let you know that our department is receiving and benefiting from the EENET newsletters that have been sent to us. In fact, one of my colleagues one day said that the whole idea of inclusive education was born in England and will only work there. But when I showed her the newsletter issue with articles on Mozambique and Zambia, she had a different opinion altogether.

Cynthy Haihambo-Muetudhana
University of Namibia, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia
chaihambo@unam.na

…and in Zambia…

In 2001 a link was made between Manchester Healthy Schools Programme and schools in Zambia. Before the link, we had four children being educated in a special unit. After reading the EENET magazine, I realised that they were wrongly placed. I placed them in regular classes and they did extremely well. Two of them gained position five and seven in classes of over 40 children. The newsletter opened my mind. We had regarded these pupils as children who cannot cope, yet they were able to perform well in the regular classes. Now when the teachers say they don’t know how to teach the children from the unit, I quote from the EENET newsletter to convince them that they can.

Kenny Kabende
Muteteshi School, Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia
info@hakielimu.com

The impact of training materials, Somaliland

I acknowledge receipt of the Lesotho video package, ‘Preparing Teachers for Inclusive Education’, the CD-ROM of the website, copies of your various annual newsletters, and EENET posters. We cannot express in words how much this valuable donation is important for our work here in Somaliland. We are very grateful and could not wait to study the video and manual! The CD-ROM is unbelievably helpful with all the information that one may need on inclusive education.

Ali Jama Hassan
Disability Action Network Hargeisa, Somaliland
dansomland@hotmail.com

Reflecting on teaching and learning

My experience of teaching children with special needs has shown me that working with children who do not learn or behave well saps (reduces) adult confidence. This is because the effort a teacher puts in may not be realised, and children’s difficulties in learning make teachers feel like failures too. It is only through collaboration with parents and other stakeholders like community development workers and health workers that our objectives can be achieved. Also I want to point out that children should not wait until they are seven years of age, and in school, for us to discover that they have a special need. In many cases this is too late for us to give the children meaningful help.

Martin Muswema
Chileshe Chepela Special School, P.O. Box 410360 Kasama, Zambia

The Flagship on Education for All and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Towards Inclusion

This UNESCO Flagship was set up in 2002. Its aim is to ensure that the right to education is realised for individuals with disabilities. Other Education for All Flagships include, for example, gender and teacher education.