1st March,2024

PFP Follow on Project - working document.

Fellow Name: Josephine Namirimu

Country: Uganda

Job Title and Employer: Communications and Advocacy Officer

Cheshire Services Uganda

Project Title: Empowering Youth Advocates: Advancing Inclusive Education Policy in Uganda

Issue: Learners with disabilities continue to be excluded from both mainstream and special education
settings in Uganda, negatively impacting their participation in civic life (National Council on Disability
Uganda, 2014; World Bank, 2020). Out of the 17.7 million children in this country, 16% (2.8 million) are
children with disabilities (Uganda Bureau of Statistics, 2010). Unfortunately, only 5% of the children with
disabilities access education in inclusive settings, while 10% receive education through special schools
(UNICEF, 2012), worst of all, the low enrolment is intertwined with poor retention levels. According to
the Revised National Policy on Persons with Disabilities 2023, page 24, on the situation of persons with
disabilities in Uganda, the net enrolment and retention of Learners with Disabilities in Schools was 28%
and 2.4% in primary and secondary schools respectively. Unfortunately, Access and retention are not
only the main barriers to learners with disabilities’ education, countless challenges include but not
limited to; lack of appropriately trained teachers especially secondary education and high tuition fees for
learners in special schools, limited data on learners with disabilities for appropriate planning,
inadequate capitation grant for learners with disabilities in Universal Primary Education(UPE) and
Universal Secondary Education(USE) programs; inadequate funding for Special Needs, Education and
sports (0.1% of the overall education budget); inadequate and inaccessible scholastic materials; the
summative and in equity based examination system that limits progression in education and;
inaccessible school environments (Revised National Policy on Persons with Disabilities,2023).
Perpetuating the issue, the National Inclusive Education Policy has remained in draft form since 2011
with persistent increase in challenges, low performance levels among learners and low response rate
from the those accountable. Less than 5% of Special needs pupils got first grade in the recent 2023 end
of primary leaving examination (Monitor,2024), only 121(4.6 percent) out of the total 2,606 special
needs education pupils who sat the 2023 primary leaving examinations passed in first grade (Monitor,
2024). Of the 121 pupils, 70 are partially blind,49 are dyslexic, 0ne blind and one partially hand capped
(Monitor,2024). With this continued poor performance, and without extra intentional efforts towards
improving the situation, Uganda’s road to attaining SGD4 will main in suspense and all these point to the
urgent need of the approval of the Inclusive education policy to provide targeted guidance.

The Persons with Disability Act,2020, part II (6) emphasizes non-discrimination in the provision of
education services. “An institution of learning that enrolls a learner with a disability shall;(a) provide an
inclusive education system for the learner; and(b) make the necessary structural adjustments to the
buildings and premises of the institution of learning, to enable access to the building or premises by a
learner with a disability, within three months from the date of admission of the learner.” Persons with

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Act,2020 subsection 4(a&b), “In addition to the requirements under subsection (4), an institution of
learning which is owned or aided by Government that enrolls a learner with a disability, shall provide
sign language services, learning instructional materials and assistive devices, suitable for the learner and
required for examinations by the learner.” (persons with Disabilities Act,2020. Subsection 5).

Other disability legislations in favor of persons with disabilities and education in Uganda include; article
30 of the Uganda constitution 1995 as amended 2005, emphasis that All persons have a right to
education, the Revised National Policy on Persons with Disabilities, 2023; Priority area 8(eight) it’s focus
is on provision of; quality, equitable, sustainable and inclusive education, training and lifelong learning
for all persons with disabilities in Uganda. The children’s Act and statute 1996 as amended 2016, section
2;amendment of section 1 principle Act, The Uganda Communications Act,2023 sections;5(1) and 9(3),
the building control Act,2013 Sections: 2,4(e), 4(h), 9(b), 28(2, j), 28(4, c), 29(c) and, 40(b), the local
government Act 1997 (amendments 2001 and 2013);Sections: 10(d), 23(1[d], 2[c], 3[c], 4[c], 5[c]),
47(2[j]), 118(2), 12901&3), The Equal Opportunities Commission Act 2007, Universal Primary Education
(UPE) in 1997, and Universal Secondary Education (USE) in 2007. among others. I acknowledge the
significant recognition of special needs learners in current education policies and other national
disability and general legislations, and I want to emphasize that the proposed policy will not merely fill
an empty vacuum but intentionally supplement the existing policies to generate more effective
responses for learners with disabilities. The policy will be specific and intentional in its purpose.

Brief about the development of the Inclusive Education policy

The commencement of the inclusive education policy development was in 2011, with the focus on
addressing the unique learning needs of learners with disabilities as stated above. The development was
led by the Ministry of Education and Sports Special needs together with policy departments. The
development was in consultation with various stakeholders among others; the directorate of higher
education (TIET, BTVET, HE), the education institutions such Uganda National Examinations Board,
Directorate of Education Standards(DES), National Curriculum Development Centre(NCDC), National for
Disability now the National Council for Persons with disabilities, civil society organizations such as
Cheshire Services Uganda(CSU), Uganda Society for Disabled Child Children(USDC) among others,
organizations of persons with disabilities such as National Union of Disabled Persons of
Uganda(NUDIPU) among others, international development partners such UNICEF, Sight Savers, the
Special Needs Technical working group among others in addition to bench marking outside Africa.

The development moved swiftly in its earlier stages and approved by top management, pending cabinet
approval before final copy is assented to by the president. Important to note however is that the
exercise has since gone silent and this is partly due to;

Shift in priorities at the side of the government, reduced advocacy by Civil society and Organizations of
persons with disabilities due to post COVID financial constraints, suspected reluctancy by the line
ministry among others.

To reinvigorate this initiative, Cheshire Services Uganda together with Ministry of Education and Sports
convened a multi stakeholders consultative meeting in July 2023. The purpose of this meeting was to
gather input, feedback, and perspectives from various stakeholders involved in inclusive education
policy formulation and advocacy on the status of the policy and to determine the subsequent advocacy
actions required for policy approval. As a result of the meeting, a consensus was reached to establish

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a steering committee named the 'Inclusive Education Policy Advocacy Committee'. This committee
comprises of eight representatives from Civil Society Organizations and Organizations of Persons with
Disabilities, international development partners including UNICEF, the British High Commission, Sight
Savers, CSU, NUDIPU, Enable, SQUAMI, and the Together for Inclusion project. Ministry officials,
particularly the two Commissioners, also joined as advisors. NUDIPU assumed the role of Committee
Chair, while CSU elected as the Secretary to the Committee. One of the committee's primary
responsibilities was to identify key advocacy actions and lead efforts to accelerate the policy approval
process.

Key achievements of the selected committee to date include; A policy brief that was developed and has
been used to engage different committee such as the parliamentary committee on education, it formed
a part of the letter to the minister for Education, and as a result, the Ministry through the permanent
secretary instructed another review of the policy draft to align it with current changes in education
environment. A two-day general stakeholder meeting was again convened to clean up the policy and a
MEMO was later drafted to the Minister in October 2023.

The proposed PFP project: Empowering Youth Advocates: Advancing Inclusive Education Policy in
Uganda

Or; Policy Pioneers: Students Shaping Inclusive Education in Uganda

Project Objective: To empower youth with disabilities with knowledge in disability rights, awareness on
the current inclusive education policy draft and effective advocacy strategies to advocate for inclusive
education policy approval through; student led advocacy groups, training and capacity building for the
group, campaign material development, in school awareness activities, peer to peer education and
youths engaging with policy makers at national level, plus lobbying Cheshire Services Uganda to adopt
the child advocacy training manual to be part of the official organization child engagement manual.

Project Activities:

Formation of student policy advocacy groups; To form student advocacy groups from the already
established school clubs from the partner schools. these will be comprised of both learners with and
without disabilities for equal representation of perspectives.

Training and capacity building; To Conduct training sessions for the student advocacy groups on the
importance of inclusive education, relevant policies, and effective advocacy strategies. Equip them with
public speaking, storytelling, and communication skills.

Leadership Opportunities: facilitate leadership opportunities within the group, allowing students to take
on roles such as spokesperson, event organizer, secretary. Representations at national level to foster a
sense of ownership and responsibility among the student advocates.

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In-School Awareness Activities: student advocacy group taking the lead in organizing and conducting
awareness sessions within the school through interactive activities and presentations led by the student
advocates.

Peer-to-Peer Education: empowered students with disabilities within the advocacy group to share their
experiences with their peers in sessions where students can educate each other about the benefits of
inclusive education aimed at attitude change towards disability among peers for peaceful co-existence.

Student engaging the policy makers at national level; student advocates to engage the members of
parliament in the lobbies and any organized platforms sharing experiences that will inform policy
makers. They also make presentations to the Special Needs Education technical working group of the
Ministry of Education, And the National Inclusive Education Advocacy Committee where I represent at
the both committees.

Following this pilot, Josephine will advocate for Cheshire to adopt child advocacy training manual to be
part of the official organization manual and incorporate the informational and training materials into
teacher training manual.

Time scope: Six months and to continue even after the six months.

Geographical scope:

Project Boundaries: 50(30f,20M) Student youth with disabilities as direct beneficiaries and 50 youth
without disabilities in across twenty secondary school partner schools in the greater Kampala, that is to
the four divisions of Kampala; Kampala Central, Nakawa, Lubaga and Kawempe divisions.

Geographic Features: My six months project will focus in the greater Kampala secondary schools
especially in the schools which in the slums of Kampala to reach the most marginalized young women.

Target Population: 100 student youths with and without disabilities in partner secondary schools
distributed as follows; 50 (30f&20m) student youths with disabilities and 50(30f,20m) without
disabilities. Overall 100(60f,40m) student youths with disabilities. These are students from ages 15 to 18
years.

Indirect beneficiaries: Roughly 1000 students outside the advocacy group but part of the school who
will benefit from the learnings through campaigns on school assemblies, talking compound messages,
peer to peer among others. In addition to teachers who will support me as Co-facilitators.

Logistics and Infrastructure:

Partner schools will provide us with shelter/meeting place, to follow the school rules and government
standards plus CSU safeguarding policy while engaging with the learners. Mostly accessing them during
school breaks and over the weekend to avoid disruptions in their learning schedule.

Stakeholders and Partners:

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School level: Headteachers who will Assist me with the venue and access to learners, teachers will join
in as co-facilitators, Students both with and without disabilities who will dedicate their time and consent
through a form to participate in my project.

Community level: Parents of students with disabilities, these will consent to work with me to offer
support to their children and also join in to give their voices when they can. Accompany their children
for those will need them whenever we schedule to meet with policy makers.

Civil Society level: To work with all members of the Inclusive Education Advocacy Committee and
Technical working group. These include CSOs and OPDs plus government education departments.

National level partners: Ministry of education and sports special needs department, Special need
technical working group, Inclusive Education Advocacy committee, ministry of gender labor and social
development-department of disability and elderly.

Still developing………………. (Evaluation).

References:

Laws.africa. (2020). "Persons with Disabilities Act, 2020 – Laws.Africa." [online] Available at:
https://commons.laws.africa/%2Fakn/ug/act/2020/3 [Accessed 4 March 2024].

Monitor. (2024). Less than 5 percent of special needs pupils got first grade. [online] Available at:
https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/education/less-than-5-percent-of-special-needs-pupils-got-
first-grade-4504050 [Accessed 4 Mar. 2024].

National Council for Disability (NCD) Uganda (2014). The State of Access to Education By Women and
Girls with Disabilities: The Case of Uganda. Paper submitted to the 58th Session of the United Nations
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (UN CEDAW). Kampala, Uganda:
Author.

REVISED NATIONAL POLICY ON PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, 2023. (n.d.). Available at:
https://mglsd.go.ug/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FINAL-REVISED-NATIONAL-POLICY-ON-PWDs-
2023.pdf.

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Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) (2010). Uganda National Household Survey (2009/2010). Retrieved
from: https://www.ubos.org/wp-content/uploads/publications/03_2018UNHS_2009_2010_socio-
economic_Report.pdf

Unicef.org. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/media/92866/file/UNICEF-annual-report-2012.pdf

(Accessed: February 14, 2024).

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) (2012). Annual Report 2012.
Retrieved from: https://www.unicef.org/media/92866/file/UNICEF-annual-report-2012.pdf

World Bank. (2020n.d.). Special Needs Education in Uganda: Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #4
Concerns Quality and Inclusive Education, Factsheet, February 7, 2020. [online] (webpage). Available at
Retrieved from: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/factsheet/2020/02/07/special-needs-education-
in-uganda-sustainable-development-goal-sdg-4-concerns-quality-and-inclusive-education.

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