CBC Health Services installs Committee to foster Inclusive Education in West Region

The Regional Delegate of Secondary Education for West Region has installed the Management and Steering Committees for Inclusive Education (IE) in the West Region. Dr. Francois Ngabnya, while installing the Committees on May 21, 2020 told them to ensure the effective implementation of quality education for All in the region. He reiterated that education is a right for all children. It is hoped that learners with disabilities (LWDs) in the region will now have more access to education.

The installation ceremony took place during the opening of a 3 day workshop on Inclusive Education which took place within the “Quality Education for All” project in Lycee Classique and Lycee Bilingue, both in Bafoussam. The objective of the workshop was to enable members of the Committee have a better understanding of the Project and their roles in promoting inclusive education.

During the workshop, the Committee members in a presentation by the Coordinator for Services for Persons with Disabilities (SPD), Awa Jacques Chirac identified some of the problems which prevent children with disability from accessing education. These include: weak capacity for inclusive education staff, limited administrative support for inclusion, lack of teaching and learning assistive devices, inaccessible curriculum, and stigma amongst others. The installed Committee will thus have the task to ensure that the access and participation of learners with impairments in Lycee Classique and Lycee Bilingue is improved, ensure teachers from these schools teach inclusively and for the Regional and school authorities to take over the responsibility to continue inclusive education in Lycee Bilinque and Lycee Classique.

For these results to be achieved, Mr. Awa noted that the following activities shall be carried out; sensitize and educate the community on the right to education for children with disabilities, empower 35 parents of children with disabilities (CWDs) to take responsibility in the education of their children, review and document the experiences of CWDs living with their parents and attending school amongst other activities.

Aware of their role and responsibilities, members were divided into three committees; Technical, Logistics, and Communication. The various committees mapped out their action plans on how they will be able to achieve the objective of the project for the next 3 years.

The EDID Program Manager, Agho Glory drilled participants on disability and impairment to help them to identify the different forms of disabilities.

At the close of the workshop, the Regional Delegate appreciated the CBC Health Services for its efforts in supporting the government to take up its responsibility to promote inclusive education. Dr. Francois pledged the willingness and readiness of the government in ensuring that inclusive education becomes a reality in the West Region.

It should be noted that the ‘Quality for Education for All’ project is funded by the Liliane Funds through the EDID Program of the CBC Health Services and implemented in two pilot schools in the West Region Lycee Classique and Lycee Bilingue. The objective of the project is to foster inclusive education in the mainstream schools.

The workshop was thus attended by education stakeholders from the two pilot schools. They were commended for their efforts in collaborating with the CBC Health Services in admitting students with impairments since 2018 when the project stated in the schools.