Anchoring government actions on human rights

Tshwarelo Hosia | Tuesday November 18, 2025 08:19

The education sector is one of the actors that should particularly provide leadership in the process of transformation. This is crucial considering that our society emerged from a background where the right to education of children with special education needs was trampled upon.

The human-centred approach is here to close all the loopholes and remedy injustices perpetrated against the most fragile section of our population - the learners with special education needs. The plight of children with disabilities deserves special focus and attention. More resources should be devoted to unearthing the hidden talents and treasures that this special group of children is endowed with.

It is equally important for schools that have provision for students with disabilities to create a platform for meaningful engagement with parents over the particular needs of children with disabilities. Parents who live with these children have more insight, which could adequately inform the curriculum and pedagogy. Parents and caregivers have a right to be heard.

Providing for children with disabilities, especially when they are in school, can be overwhelmingly cumbersome. It costs more to raise children with disabilities and it is even more overwhelming to take them to school and cater to their educational needs. First and foremost, children with disabilities require a purpose-built vehicle to ferry them to and from school. Parents have reported the discomfort and inconveniences their children experience when transported in ordinary vehicles not designed specifically to cater to this special group.

If not handled with great care when ferried to schools, children with disabilities are more likely to experience challenges and discomforts, which might compound their situation or make them develop a negative attitude toward school. Therefore, parental engagement in the teaching and learning process of children with disabilities can no longer be optional, but it is the very essence of inclusive education.

Parents too have realised the futility of sitting on the fence when the future of the children is decided at school. When given a platform to shape the destiny of the children, many parents fully exploit the opportunity. One of the highlights of my career was officiating at a teacher-parent consultative engagement where the views of parents were sought on the services schools are rendering to students with special needs. To a large extent, while acknowledging limitations, parents equally appreciate concerted efforts by the government and the private sector in opening more school doors to cater to learners with special education needs. Extending frontiers of education to learners with special education ensures all children, regardless of their diverse backgrounds, enjoy a fair allocation of resources..The approach recognises education as a fundamental and inalienable right that should be jealously guarded, protected, and preserved. Children who are the recipients of educational services have a right to be heard, too. This is because education is essentially a student-driven project It is not an external imposition designed without the input of the beneficiary. Consequently, the importance of teacher training and student-centered approaches to serve learners with special education needs cannot be overemphasised. The idea is to avoid being content with opening school doors to children with disabilities, but also making a profound impact. Achieving impactful inclusive education requires special attention on teacher pedagogical training By focusing on pedagogical skills and knowledge, the stage is set for a supportive learning environment that fosters successful graduation and improved livelihoods.

A lot of thought should go into the recruitment and deployment of teachers. The system should show bias in favour of teachers who are naturally friendly and disposed to learners with special education needs. It should be borne in mind that teaching is fundamentally about love. The emphasis on careful teacher recruitment and deployment is also crucial to ensure the success of the programme.

Delivering impactful education is about creating a positive and nurturing learning environment where learners feel loved, cared for, and supported is crucial for their academic and personal growth and well-being. Placing a high premium on learner well-being and happiness fosters a love for learning that extends beyond the classroom. Love ensures increased enrolments, reduced dropouts, and improved learning outcomes.

Some key aspects of a caring and supportive school environment include, among others a student-centered learning, emotional support and care, and positive teacher-student relationships. By paying special emphasis on these elements, educators can create a foundation for lifelong learning and success.

In conclusion, for purposes of emphasis, our education and training system should reflect our new character as a human rights-based government.This approach fosters a learning environment that values diversity, promotes social justice, and empowering students to become active participants in their communities.