Joseph M. Evans, education adviser, Namibia
Traditional approaches to education have focused on getting ‘special needs’ children ready for the mainstream. Inclusive education, in contrast, starts from the child’s right to participate and the school’s duty to accommodate them. This approach is particularly useful in Namibia, where the prevalence of HIV and AIDS means both teachers and children are often absent from school – they either need to care for family members or are themselves ill. VSO volunteer Joseph Evans explains how he has worked to promote it.
What I was trying to achieve
I was working in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia, where inclusive education is an entirely foreign idea.
Fortunately my VSO predecessor, Brigithe Mayes, had laid a solid foundation. She left behind useful information about where to start and how to proceed with my work.
My methods
The first six months challenged my skills and the way I approached the inclusive education territory. They were very rough-and-tumble - it was not until five months into my stay that I was able to organise the first seminar.
I spent days developing a vision that would work effectively to produce results in my placement. In forming my plan, I consulted with the Director of Education, the Head of Department, the Chief Clerk and various community members.
That first seminar was a one-week regional inclusive education seminar for 27 lower primary school teachers. At the end of the week many of them bought into the idea of inclusive education. The teachers, particularly those that were engaged in Learner Support Studies with Institute of Open Learning, learned new approaches to inclusive education and benefited greatly from the seminars.
Impact
As my placement colleagues and I continued work in the region, interest from schools in inclusive education rose. Principals invited me to their schools at their own expense. I visited schools and talked to teachers on one-on-one basis about the advantages of inclusive education. After noting the huge gap between schools and parents in addressing the issue, we also arranged seminars for parents. Eighteen months into my placement, I had conducted nine parents’ workshops and nine teachers’ workshops reaching 936 parents.
VSO funding
Grants from VSO and the British High Commission enabled me to develop inclusive education flyers. These were distributed to all the 61 schools in the region, plus three Teachers’ Resource Centres, the Ministry of Education Headquarters in Windhoek, public libraries, the Regional Council Office and VSO country programme office, among other places.
The grants also facilitated a regional survey, which looked at the understanding of inclusive education, barriers in accessing the school curriculum, and learners and teachers needs. From the survey, I developed a proposal focused on the training needs expressed by the teachers. I forwarded it to the Director and to the Ministry of Education for discussion and possible funding. It is meant to benefit learners through improved teaching skills and creation of inclusive education settings.
Personal benefit
The experience gained through volunteer work forms an un-erasable mark in the life of a person. At the end of the placement journey, it almost feels sinful leaving the people you formed relationships with. However, I have the confidence in the work that my predecessors and I have done in Otjozondjupa. It will bear fruit for the communities in that region and, ultimately, for Namibia.
