Transforming education is not possible without the inclusion of learners with disabilities. The time to act is NOW!
- Learners with disabilities continue to be one of the most marginalized groups when it comes to access to quality, equitable education. There are an estimated 240 million children with disabilities in the world. Compared to children without disabilities they are 16% less likely to read or be read to at home, 42% less likely to have foundational reading and numeracy skills, and 49% likely to have never attended school. The pandemic and related lockdowns, and armed conflicts have further exacerbated the situation for learners with disabilities. A survey by the International Disability Alliance (IDA) found that 17% of respondents dropped out during the pandemic. Of those who attended remote classes, only 29% found online platforms accessible.
- IDA welcomes the convening of the Transforming Education Summit by the UN Secretary General during the 77th UN General Assembly. We unequivocally support the objective to generate national and international commitments to transform education, and foster greater public engagement around and support for transforming education.
- As world leaders gather at the Transforming Education Summit, IDA strongly urges Member States to remember their commitment to ensure access to quality, inclusive, equitable education for learners with disabilities as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We also urge the fulfilment of the 229 commitments made on inclusive education at the 2022 Global Disability Summit.
- IDA calls on all Heads of States, Member States, UN agencies to ensure that the Transforming Education Summit is inclusive of and accessible to all persons with disabilities. We are concerned that there has been inadequate representation of learners with disabilities, and organizations of persons with disabilities in activities to date, especially the lack of accessibility of both online and in-person Pre-Summit events.
- IDA calls for active and meaningful engagement of organizations of persons with disabilities in the call to democratize dialogue around education and to grow a global movement for educational transformation.
- IDA reiterates that inclusive education is the only way to achieve SDG 4, including children with disabilities whomever and wherever they are. We call on Member States to ensure that the right to quality, inclusive, education for ALL learners with disabilities is explicitly included in national and international commitments to transform education.
- IDA calls for inclusion and equity to be cross-cutting principles across all areas of education system transformation. Any education setting that does not provide inclusive education in its broadest sense, including those not managed by the ministry of education or the relevant ministry or are segregated settings, must be phased out.
- We further call for increased investments to transform education, including but not limited to teacher training; curriculum development; accessibility including national sign languages, Braille, captioning, access to assistive technology; social protection. States must ensure a cross-sectoral approach that is responsive to the requirements of all learners, including those with disabilities. States must reallocate and increase funding and resources towards inclusive education, including towards reasonable accommodations for learners with disabilities.
