Inclusive Education – Papua New Guinea

Thank you for helping people with disabilities in the world’s poorest places. Each and every gift you send is truly appreciated!

Inclusive Education – Papua New Guinea

Description

Help more people like Clency receive the vital educational support they need so they fulfil their God given potential, and also use their skills to give back to their local communities.

In Papua New Guinea, many children with disabilities have been missing the opportunity to receive quality education. This project will lift the capacity of schools and inclusive education centres to provide quality and effective individualised education to children with disabilities. Children with visual, hearing, intellectual and physical conditions will be reached to remove barriers to learning.

THE NEED

In Papua New Guinea, children with disabilities are significantly under-represented in school. Estimates show that 90% of children with moderate to severe disabilities are not attending school. Without access to effective education, children with disabilities are missing the opportunity to reach their potential and are often among the poorest and dependent on others for support.

The Government of Papua New Guinea was one of the first countries worldwide to adopt disability-inclusive education within national policy. However, a chronic lack of resources to implement the policy means that the needs of children with disabilities are not sufficiently met in school. With over 130,000 children with disability missing out on school, this project aims to increase enrolment and attendance by improving infrastructure of selected schools, increasing the effectiveness of teaching and providing accessible educational resources.

WHAT YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT CAN HELP FUND

  • Support children with visual, hearing, physical or intellectual disabilities to access education through schools or informal education in the community.
  • Train teachers to meet the individual educational needs of children with disabilities.
  • Make accessibility improvements to school grounds and bathrooms.
  • Resource specialised units at schools to teach skills such as sign language, braille, orientation and mobility.
  • Support model schools to develop action plans toward best practice of inclusive education.
  • Provide awareness raising at schools and with parents to promote inclusive communities.

 

Your gifts continue to be multiplied x5 by match-funding from Aotearoa New Zealand’s International Development Cooperation Programme!

Additional information

Frequency

One-off, Every Week, Every 2 Weeks, Every 4 Weeks, Every Month, Quarterly, Annually

Clency

"Take hold of instruction; do not let go. Guard her, for she is your life." - Proverbs 4:13

Thanks to generous people like you Clency has big dreams. At 21-years-old, she is studying political science at a university in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG). With a soft calm voice and a broad smile on her face, Clancy told cbm of her plans to attend law school in Port Moresby and become a human rights lawyer. Her vision is to support students with disabilities in PNG, by producing law and policy that promote their human rights.

“I am very optimistic, and I believe I have a future in law, I will make it happen”.

Clency is blind. Her vision started to deteriorate when she was 9 years old, and within two years she was no longer able to read. Thankfully, her parents had heard about cbm’s local partner in PNG, who identify children early, and put supports in place so they are prepared at school. The community workers linked Clency with specialised services which changed the direction of her life. But even so, Clency recalls that the teachers at her mainstream school didn’t know how to teach maths and science to students with visual impairment. Determined, Clency taught herself these subjects with the support from cbm partners after school.

This sums up Clency; one can feel a real sense of determination from her. She is not going to let anything stand in her way. Unfortunately, Clency’s story is not common enough in PNG.

However, Clency is a testament to the importance of cbm’s work in PNG. She is thankful that this support is continuing at university as well. The lecturers are now very supportive of her and are using inclusive techniques. Clency’s determination and character will ensure that she will achieve her dreams!