Institutional Co-operation Programme
Education for All in an Inclusive Setting

Key Project Partner in Pakistan:

• Federal Directorate of Education [FDE] will be responsible for the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the programme. FDE will also participate in the research programme[s] related to the project. Furthermore FDE will be responsible for involving other relevant agencies under the Ministry of Education in these programmes / activities to ensure a higher grade of collaboration and co-ordination of efforts and programmes.

Key Project Partner in Norway:

• IDP Norway [International Development Partners] will support the Federal Directorate in the planning and implementation process as well as in monitoring and evaluation of the programme. IDP Norway will make a host of experienced experts available to the project and facilitate increased co-operation and co-ordination with other regional and international partners as well as with sister institutions/departments in Norway and other countries. IDP Norway will also be responsible for the research programme[s] related to the project.

Other Partners in Pakistan:

• Directorate General for Special Education [DGSE] will among others, support the implementation with experts/practitioners within the field of disability [mainly visual impairment, hearing impairment, developmental impairment and physical/motor impairment] through their schools and institutions [mainly NISE National Institute of Special Education ] and
• Education for All [EFA] Wing - Ministry of Education will be a vital partner in linking these efforts with other EFA programmes in Islamabad and throughout Pakistan
• Training Wing – Ministry of Education will be another important partner since the training of teachers and administrative staff in regular schools is the responsibility of this wing. They should co-host and facilitate in the training programs [The Minister has advised us in his project approval letter he restrict us to do training through the Ministry of Education Training Wing]
• Allama Iqbal Open University [AIOU] will among others support the project with experts for the planning process as well as for monitoring and evaluation. Furthermore, it will participate in a research programme linked to the project together with specialists from IDP, FDE and DGSE
• Pakistan Disability Foundation [PDF] will through and advisory / consultative role represent the interests of children with disabilities, one of the most profiled groups of children vulnerable to discrimination, marginalisation and exclusion
• Other organisations / foundations working for the rights of children vulnerable to discrimination, marginalisation and exclusion

Other International Partners:

• UNESCO
• UNICEF
• Sight Savers International

Project Description:

For the past decade three movements; Education for All; Inclusion, and; Child Friendly Schools, have existed alongside each other with little or no co-ordination and collaboration in spite of all being based on the;

Convention on the Rights of the Child [CRC]
Among others on Article 28: “States Parties recognize the right of the child to education and with a view to achieving this right progressively and on the basis of equal opportunity, they shall, in particular:

1. Make primary education compulsory and available to all;
2. Encourage the development of different forms of secondary education, including general and vocational education, make them available and accessible to every child and take appropriate measures such as the introduction of free education and offering financial assistance in case of need;
3. Make higher education accessible to all on the basis of capacity by every appropriate means;
4. Make educational and vocational information and guidance available and accessible to al children;
5. Take measures to encourage regular attendance at schools and the reduction of drop-out rates.

Education for All [Jomtien]
Among others on Articles no. 1 and 3; “… Every person – child, youth and adult – shall be able to benefit from educational opportunities designed to meet their basic learning needs, and; … Basic education should be provided to all children, youth and adults. To this end, basic education services of quality should be expanded and consistent measures must be taken to reduce disparities.”

Salamanca Statement on Inclusion;
Among others Article no. 2; “We believe and proclaim that:

1. Every child has a fundamental right to education, and must be given the opportunity to achieve and maintain an acceptable level of learning,
2. Every child has unique characteristics, interests, abilities and learning needs,
3. Education systems should be designed and educational programmes implemented to take into account the wide diversity of these characteristics and needs,
4. Those with special educational needs must have access to regular schools which should accommodate them within a child centred pedagogy capable of meeting these needs,
5. Regular schools with this inclusive orientation are the most effective means of combating discriminatory attitudes, creating welcoming communities, building an inclusive society and achieving education for all; more over, they provide an effective education to the majority of children and improve the efficiency and ultimately the cost-effectiveness of the entire education system."

Five Dimensions of Child Friendly Schools;

1. Pro-actively inclusive, seeking out and enabling participation of all children and especially those who are different ethnically, culturally, socio-economically, and in terms of ability;
2. Academically effective and relevant to children's needs for life and livelihood knowledge and skills;
3. Healthy and safe for, and protective of, children's emotional, psychological, and physical well-being;
4. Gender-responsive in creating environments and capacities fostering quality; and
5. Actively engaged with, and enabling of, student, family, and community participation in all aspects of school policy, management and support to children

Dakar Framework for Action – Education for All
“… ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, children in difficult circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to and complete, free and compulsory primary education of good quality; … ensuring that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life-skills programmes; …”

Therefore, based on the above as well as the Islamabad Declaration [See Attachment] the Federal Directorate of Education [FDE] and IDP Norway will in cooperation with other key stakeholders and international organisations work towards a more comprehensive and collaborative effort to;

• Develop systems within FDE that enables, accommodates and stimulates effective implementation of education reforms and innovation – To support the efforts of the Government of Pakistan to reach the goal of compulsory primary education for ALL by 2015;
• Develop quantitative and qualitative indicators for inclusive and child friendly educations systems, schools and communities;
• Create and further develop inclusive and child-friendly schools in Islamabad and other areas under the authority of FDE;
• Set up a small number pilot schools for demonstration and research purposes where all the key elements of the three movements [Education for All; Inclusion, and; Child Friendly Schools] are incorporated, and;
• Develop practical research programmes related to implementation of inclusive practices in schools as well as innovation and reform within established education systems

Without increased collaboration among key ministries, directorates, institutions, international and non-governmental organisations, universities and community groups Education for ALL will remain out of reach in the foreseeable future.

Furthermore, without focusing on the quality of implementation of reform and innovation within the education sector important developments will merely be implemented in limited number of pilot schools and never mushroom and become part of the mainstream education system.

Innovation is often dismissed and short lived because it is innovation in name only and it is not holistically reflected in the actions of government departments, institutions and individuals, nor are the benefits evident for the community, schools, teachers, parents and children. Therefore, this programme will focus in innovation in action, transparency in implementation and community / stakeholder participation in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Goal:

Contribute to Education for All in an Inclusive Setting through quality improvement and co-ordination of all efforts and programmes on integrative, inclusive and child friendly education in Islamabad and other areas under FDE jurisdiction.