How people with disabilities were treated

This is how people with disabilities were treated in the old dispensation. The old order has long past paving the way to a new breath of fresh air. Much to the glee of the inclusive movement, Botswana has been born again and has since joined the rest of the world in the crusade of integrating the formerly historically marginalised section of humanity into the mainstream society.

The goal is restoration of fundamental human rights to people living with disability people including the right to education. Disability of one kind or another can no longer stand as justification for denial of certain basic inalienable rights. Continuing implementation of the inclusive education policy is bringing closer the goal of education for all by providing educational opportunities fit for the 21st century for previously un-served people living with disability learners. That in our jurisdiction issues of disability are coordinated in the Office of the President is one indication of the high premium the country is placing on the subject of inclusivity and integration.

However, a University of Botswana don, Dr Boitumelo Mangope has gone an extra mile. The academic, together with a team dedicated to the cause of people living with disability, is doing everything possible to make the struggle for the creation of a more inclusive and just society a resounding success. The plight of the people living with disability in public schools came into sharp focus in a paper presented by the leading investigator, Mangope, on the good and bad classroom experiences of learners with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The preliminary findings of the paper titled, “The evaluation of inclusive education programmes for transition-age students with IDD,” were unveiled by Mangope and her team comprising international and local experts on June 27, 2023.

The setting was UB’s state of the art Block 247 where different scholars and stakeholders subjected the paper to scrutiny while also generously sharing experiences. The product is a result of collaboration between the University of Botswana and three other international universities of repute being Michigan State University (USA), Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (Australia) and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana).

On a positive note, the paper acknowledged significant strides made in increasing access to education and training for student with disabilities, including learners with intellectual and developmental challenges. The study captured parental testimonies on noticeable progress and changes which they said their children had undergone in their education journey. Noteworthy positive developments included language acquisition for some students who experienced challenges prior to their attending and an increased interest in social interaction for those who previously had no keen interest in socialising with peers. The role of government in facilitating transportation of students with disabilities to and from school was noted and hailed as the one thing which encouraged parents to take their children to school.

However, whereas much has been accomplished, much more remains to be done in the arduous journey to achieve full integration. The paper unveiled too many gaps and shortcomings needing redressing. Not much thought has been applied on the critical issue of transition to the world of work. Access to school made without quality is as good as no access it was observed.

It has been found that some learners with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) as old as 20 years or more are stuck in the special education units with little or no prospects from progression and integration into main stream society in the world of work. It came to light that the special education units require a bit more training in order to dispense their noble duty of educating children for improved livelihoods. Lack of graduation from the programme is frustrating the objective for which the intervention was created – that of graduating the students from dependence to independence and ending poverty. Once they cannot graduate they are forced, unfortunately, to return to the families where they continue to be a burden to their parents. It must be noted that the care needed by people with disabilities does not come cheap and it was noted how so many parents are struggling to provide basic needs that their children desperately need.

The education sector was encouraged to up its game by revising the quality of interventions in order to render appropriate knowledge and skills that would help the students to achieve sustainable livelihoods. Also worth improving is the issue of resourcing of the special education units. Many special education units were found wanting in terms of provision of critical supporting inputs. The study recommended provision of additional classrooms and appropriate deployment of relevant teachers sufficiently trained and equipped to deal with learners with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Inappropriate deployment of teachers was cited as one of the big problems inhibiting provision of quality education to IDD students.

In terms of transition to the world of work, the study is pleading with government to lead by example and create opportunities for employment for graduates with disabilities. The school climate too, the study noted, needed refining. The study lamented the fact that the special education units played second fiddle to the normal schools. More often than not, special education units are treated as second class schools and provision of resources is skewed in favour of the mainstream schools. For example, during an examination writing season, a special unit class can be shut temporarily a few days in order to place all rooms at the disposal of a normal school.

The findings of the Mangope-led study resonates with the education sector’s newest policy known as the Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan (ETSSP). In the ETSSP, the issue of transition from school to the world of work features prominently. Indeed the study on transition of learners with intellectual disabilities will contribute towards fulfilling the dream of achieving full integration of people living with disabilities and rolling back frontiers of poverty. For the uninitiated, the ETSSP is intended to help Botswana transform its economy from being mineral resource-driven to become more diversified and knowledge-based. In particular, it is designed to strengthen the match between qualifications and labour market requirements, ensuring that education outputs are more closely aligned to future employment needs.

It will also facilitate improved outcomes for all learners by addressing issues of quality, relevance, access, equity and accountability across the entire sector, from pre-school to university. Its main key pillars are increased access: to ensure the participation of all eligible people in appropriate education and training; improved quality: to raise learning achievement at all levels; greater relevance: to provide learners with the knowledge and skills necessary for economic, social and personal development and enhanced accountability; to improve quality of service delivery and to provide information to stakeholders.