Prospects and Problems of the Implementation of Policies on Special Needs Education in Ethiopia: The Case of Snnpr
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Date
2006-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The lIIuiIlIJlII'j}(J.H' (?If/U.! study was 10 make lIlI il1l1C.\'liKlIliol1 Oil ,\pccialneeds educatiol1 system in
Keiter,,' lind hlelllj/i' (he /1/05{ pressing problems Ihut affect the implementation (~f policies Oil
special l1eed,' edllcatiol1, us well us indicate direcliol1 ;11 Ihe area in which more effort ulld
c011siderutions are required for improving the existing problems in provision (?f special need.'i
education iJ1/he regio/1
The ,\'llfl~V was designed 10 answer three basic questions. These are: }, What are the major .
.fllt/ors Ihul l{lleCl 'he imp/em entation of ,\pedal l1eec!.\' educatiol1 policies af regional lel'etJ 2,
Who/ure the ex/ellIs o/coverage and access to .\pecia/ needs education ill this region? 3. What
strategies shuuld he employed to offer basic education/or all disabled children'
The deserl/Hive survey approach was employed and bOlh primary Gnd secondary sources q(
data urc used
The result of the study generally shows that access and coverage lor special needs education
are negligible. Tho! is the averuge estimated participation rate for special needs educutiull is
0.2% between 200010J and 2003104. The pallem in access to education has shown improVemei'1.
ill 201J./IOj olld the estimated participation rute was 0.3%. . Over the past jive years the
participatiun rate jill' special need,' education was 0.3%.. The regional participation rate lor
special needs educution was obtained by lIsing WHO conservative crude estimation oI I U%
prevalence rUleji'o/11 uny pOp!!/alioll because there is 110 estimated stalistical dala a/persolls wilh
disabilities in the region.
It is noted that in almost half of the zones (and special woredas) there is no .Ipecial need.,
educulhJ11 proy,rU!1/. Besides. the existing jpecia/ needs education access is dominated by hearing
impairment education program; if comprises more than 77%from (he existing programs. /n the
region most people have awareness problem about special needs education and aboUl persons
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with disabilities. Also, decision makers, planners and educational experts have lock 0/ aware,!ess
conceming policies of special needs education. As the result of this, there is no strategic plan to
implemcnt .\peciulneeds education policies ill the region.
Fi110lly, creating el1abling policy environment, inclusive education, using existing primar)'
schools building, parfl1ership and mobilizing resources, communily sel1sitization, strengthening
of. early childhuod education, and teacher educatiun are recommended as i11lerventiullS jor
promoting equifllhle access 'and to offer basic education lor all children with special needs
(disabilit iesj.
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Keywords
Special Needs Education in Ethiopia: