A lesson in inclusion

SUPPORTING INCLUSION—Specialised chairs By Khumbo Salanje: Before the new learning materials arrived, the resource room at Chimwasongwe Primary School in Traditional Authority Chimutu, Lilongwe, offered little support for children with disabilities. Learners with visual, hearing and physical impairments struggled to follow lessons because the specialist equipment they needed was either inadequate or unavailable. Today, shelves stocked with learning materials, specialised furniture and assistive equipment are giving those children a better chance to learn alongside their peers. Yet, as more learners with disabilities enrol in school, education authorities warn that a shortage of specialist teachers and learning resources is threatening progress towards inclusive education. The upgrading follows support provided under the Realising Inclusive and Safe Education project, implemented by Link Community Development (LCD) Malawi and funded by the Scottish Government. The project has equipped the school's resource room with mattresses, furniture, stationery, toys and other teaching materials to support learners with diverse educational needs. The intervention forms part of a wider programme expected to benefit 117 primary schools in Lilongwe Urban, Lilongwe Rural East, Lilongwe Rural West and Dedza districts. So far, 20 schools have received the support. Speaking during the handover ceremony on Monday, Director of Inclusive Education and School Health and Nutrition in the Ministry of Education Virginia Kachigunda said the initiative demonstrates how partnerships can expand access to quality education for children with disabilities. "LCD Malawi continues to provide specialist equipment, specialist chairs, desks, books and other materials to learners with different learning needs. "My message is that we should join hands to support these learners with special needs," Kachigunda said. She added that Malawi is making progress towards inclusive education, with enrolment of learners with disabilities in primary schools rising from four percent to six percent. This, the education official said, follows sustained campaigns encouraging parents and communities to send their children to school. However, she said the growing number of learners has exposed weaknesses in the education system. "As we bring more learners with disabilities into schools, we need more specialist teachers because the current numbers are not adequate to meet the demand. "We also need specialised learning materials for learners with visual and hearing impairments," Kachigunda said. For organisations supporting inclusive education, providing equipment is only one part of the solution. NG'OMA —They lack the support they need LCD Malawi Head of Programmes Innocent Ng'oma says meaningful inclusion requires an education system where learners with disabilities are fully engaged in classroom activities and have the support they need to succeed. "We understand that many learners in primary schools are not learning because they lack the support they need. "Our goal is to ensure that learners are learning, participating and influencing the environment in which they learn," Ng'oma says. He adds that through the Scottish Government-funded Model Country Project, the organisation has distributed more than 708 assistive devices, including wheelchairs, tricycles, eyeglasses and orthoses, to children with disabilities across Malawi. Ng'oma further says the project is also working with the Ministry of Education to strengthen teachers' capacity through continuous professional development and promote early identification of children with disabilities before they reach school age. At district level, the impact of the shortages is already being felt. Lilongwe Rural East District Inclusive Education Coordinator Veronica Mkandawire said the new resources will significantly improve learning for children with diverse educational needs but more investment is required. "We still need large-print books, braille machines and braille paper. We also have only one specialist teacher serving 15 schools in this zone, and that is a huge gap," Mkandawire said. The shortage reflects a broader challenge facing Malawi's drive towards inclusive education. While more children with disabilities are enrolling in school, many classrooms still lack specialist teachers, assistive learning materials and support services needed to ensure every learner can participate fully. Stakeholders say sustaining the gains made so far will require continued investment in teacher training, assistive technologies and accessible learning environments. They warn that without those investments, children with disabilities will continue to face barriers to quality education despite growing efforts to leave no learner behind.—Mana

Times Malawi Times Malawi · Wire Report · 1 hours ago · 4 min read

Image via wire syndication · Times Malawi

WIRE — SUPPORTING INCLUSION—Specialised chairs By Khumbo Salanje: Before the new learning materials arrived, the resource room at Chimwasongwe Primary School in Traditional Authority Chimutu, Lilongwe, offered little support for children with disabilities. Learners with visual, hearing and physical impairments struggled to follow lessons because the specialist equipment they needed was either inadequate or unavailable. Today, shelves stocked with learning materials, specialised furniture and assistive equipment are giving those children a better chance to learn alongside their peers. Yet, as more learners with disabilities enrol in school, education authorities warn that a shortage of specialist teachers and learning resources is threatening progress towards inclusive education. The upgrading follows support provided under the Realising Inclusive and Safe Education project, implemented by Link Community Development (LCD) Malawi and funded by the Scottish Government. The project has equipped the school's resource room with mattresses, furniture, stationery, toys and other teaching materials to support learners with diverse educational needs. The intervention forms part of a wider programme expected to benefit 117 primary schools in Lilongwe Urban, Lilongwe Rural East, Lilongwe Rural West and Dedza districts. So far, 20 schools have received the support. Speaking during the handover ceremony on Monday, Director of Inclusive Education and School Health and Nutrition in the Ministry of Education Virginia Kachigunda said the initiative demonstrates how partnerships can expand access to quality education for children with disabilities. "LCD Malawi continues to provide specialist equipment, specialist chairs, desks, books and other materials to learners with different learning needs. "My message is that we should join hands to support these learners with special needs," Kachigunda said. She added that Malawi is making progress towards inclusive education, with enrolment of learners with disabilities in primary schools rising from four percent to six percent. This, the education official said, follows sustained campaigns encouraging parents and communities to send their children to school. However, she said the growing number of learners has exposed weaknesses in the education system. "As we bring more learners with disabilities into schools, we need more specialist teachers because the current numbers are not adequate to meet the demand. "We also need specialised learning materials for learners with visual and hearing impairments," Kachigunda said. For organisations supporting inclusive education, providing equipment is only one part of the solution. NG'OMA —They lack the support they need LCD Malawi Head of Programmes Innocent Ng'oma says meaningful inclusion requires an education system where learners with disabilities are fully engaged in classroom activities and have the support they need to succeed. "We understand that many learners in primary schools are not learning because they lack the support they need. "Our goal is to ensure that learners are learning, participating and influencing the environment in which they learn," Ng'oma says. He adds that through the Scottish Government-funded Model Country Project, the organisation has distributed more than 708 assistive devices, including wheelchairs, tricycles, eyeglasses and orthoses, to children with disabilities across Malawi. Ng'oma further says the project is also working with the Ministry of Education to strengthen teachers' capacity through continuous professional development and promote early identification of children with disabilities before they reach school age. At district level, the impact of the shortages is already being felt. Lilongwe Rural East District Inclusive Education Coordinator Veronica Mkandawire said the new resources will significantly improve learning for children with diverse educational needs but more investment is required. "We still need large-print books, braille machines and braille paper. We also have only one specialist teacher serving 15 schools in this zone, and that is a huge gap," Mkandawire said. The shortage reflects a broader challenge facing Malawi's drive towards inclusive education. While more children with disabilities are enrolling in school, many classrooms still lack specialist teachers, assistive learning materials and support services needed to ensure every learner can participate fully. Stakeholders say sustaining the gains made so far will require continued investment in teacher training, assistive technologies and accessible learning environments. They warn that without those investments, children with disabilities will continue to face barriers to quality education despite growing efforts to leave no learner behind.—Mana

"We aggregate wires to encourage regional discovery, sending readers directly back to the original source to explore full coverage."

This is a normalized overview of the breaking feed event. The complete, official release detailing all points, background context, and statements remains hosted by the original publisher.

Read full story at Times Malawi