Partners Empowered on inclusive education with focus on gender and disability inclusion

Stakeholders during the workshop in Juba. Photo/Daniel Danis

Juba, South Sudan - South Sudan Multi-Year Resilience Programme partners implementing the Education Cannot Wait project have received training on the components of inclusive education with special focus on gender inclusion to "ensure children with disabilities are not left out." 

The three-day workshop - facilitated by Save the Children in collaboration with Usratuna – provided participants with skills on inclusive learning approaches, assessment of learners with disability, type of treatments and referral system for special cases, and provision of assistive devices.

Usratuna OVCI services include creating referral pathways for persons with various disabilities. The institution was established in 1982 to respond to the numerous reports of needs, especially rehabilitation for those with disabilities in South Sudan.

The partnership enables Usratuna OVCI to offer techinical support to MYRP implementing partners to care for learners with disabilities. It is part of Education Cannot Wait project's objective which ensures MYRP-supported learning spaces are safe, protective for all children and teachers to thrive, and a special focus on children with disabilities and girls.

"The training is essential in improving awareness and knowledge – among partners - about people with disabilities in order to increase the degree of support and inclusiveness in their daily lives," said Ponny Tekila, MYRP Gender & Inclusion Advisor, Save the Children.

The partners agreed to share information and utilize existing referral pathways for children with disabilities. They also endorsed the catalogue of assistive devices available at the Usratuna Orthopaedic Workshop to improve the autonomy of People With Disabilities in order to increase the degree of support and inclusiveness in their daily lives.

“It is critical to train the Implementing partners on Inclusive education as integrating Inclusion in the project is core area all partners are requested to undertake,” Ms Ponny stated.

About ECW/MYRP

Education Cannot Wait is the first global multilateral fund dedicated to education in emergencies and protracted crises. Through the South Sudan Multi-Year Resilience Programme (MYRP), ECW project aims at ensuring that out-of-school children (OOSC) in priority areas have flexible, responsive routes into learning opportunities, that support their transition into further levels of education and that support their holistic wellbeing and development. It also focuses on increased access to learning opportunities, improved quality and continuity of education, enhanced school safety, mental health, psycho-social support, gender and inclusive education.

Save the Children International, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and Finn Church Aid (FCA) as grantee agencies work together with 17 Implementing Partners across 6 States in South Sudan – under the leadership of the Ministry of General Education and Instruction.

Story by Daniel Danis/Save the Children