New East Eagle Foundation and Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa partnership to increase access for children with disabilities to primary and inclusive education.

East Eagle Foundation is thrilled to announce a new partnership with the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) to increase access for children with disability to primary school as well as to design and implement inclusive education programs across the region. 

Article 49 of the Congolese constitution prohibits discrimination against persons with all forms of disabilities (physical, sensory, intellectual, and mental) and it (constitution) states that all persons should have access to the national education system. However, the state did not mandate access to government buildings or services for persons with disabilities including access to health care, information, communication, transportation, the judicial system, or other state services.

President Felix Tshisekedi’s Congolese government has provided access to basic education for four million children, including those from lower-income families, by implementing a constitutional provision. However, this does not benefit those with disabilities as there are no reasonable accommodations for them to be fully included. Furthermore, the government has not enforced these provisions properly and those with disabilities often face difficulties in accessing educational opportunities. Additionally, those with disabilities are often subject to social stigma such as being disowned by their families and accused of witchcraft, as well as discrimination from those without disabilities in school. One consequence is more students with disabilities do not attend a school or do not complete their primary certificates.

The East Eagle Foundation has taken several steps in recent years to enhance recognition of the difficulties encountered by those with disabilities, specifically in terms of making people aware of the issue and training teachers and administrators to better assist with inclusive education. In 2009, the organization conducted a series of lectures and sessions for primary and secondary school personnel in North Kivu, teaching them how to include students with disabilities in their school curricula.

The priority area for this project is to strengthen the engagement of organizations of persons with disabilities, members of this network. This is in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), in its general obligations (article 24) that set out the obligation of States Parties to ensure inclusive education as it is a fundamental human right for every child with a disability. Another focus of the project is to collect data about inclusive education and schooling of children with disabilities. The current lack of statistical data regarding persons with disabilities creates difficulties in effectively and accurately planning programs and creating policies. Finally, Lastly, EEF will create community of practice so that community members and educational stakeholders can use it as resources to collaborate, troubleshoot, and get access to a dedicated community of thousands of organizations working on the same guide and allow. This will help sustain the program and increase level of stakeholders ‘engagement.

The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) is part of the global network of Open Society Foundations (OSF) and operates in eleven (11) southern African countries: Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA)OSISA promotes open society values by working towards building vibrant and tolerant democracies across the region, through our various thematic and country programmes.