The Impact of Community Involvement in Promoting Inclusive Education in Rwanda. Case of Kamonyi District.

Abstract

The aim of this study was the assessment of the community involvement and its impact in the promotion of IE. In this study, the community as one of the role players in educating children with particular educational needs, in an inclusive environment was accorded the first and foremost interest. In fact, children are raised within a community whose influential role on the learning process can‟t be ignored or under estimated. The theory of change for community interventions in Education (Meister, 2006) and the social model of disability (Crow, 1996 and McArthur, 2009) are theories that guided this study. To empirically collect data mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) were used where through the use of questionnaires, organization of interview and focus group discussions information was collected. The research has shown the community role in the promotion of IE and its involvement as reported being an impactful action towards the creation and sustainability of inclusive community/society where stigma and discrimination against people with disability (PWDs) do no longer have place. As a matter of fact, 63% of participants highlighted the great influence of community members (local leaders, community health workers, parents, educators, and other opinion leaders) when fully engaged in IE related activities; 71% of these participants again reported the community support oriented to CWDs in their learning endeavor. For instance, 66% of participants confirmed the community volunteering activities at school and in the community which denote the community attitudes and behaviors change towards CWDs. In fact, 81% of families recognized the rights of CWDs to education, while 68% of educators confirmed the benefits of teaching CWDs together with those without disability. They reported the teaching and learning activities rich in constructive experiences when done in inclusive settings. Moreover, 60% of community members do no longer consider CWDs as source of charge and believe in CWDs‟ capacity of learning at 81%; consequently 84% of their supports as oriented to those children in need increased the number of CWDs in schools. Community involvement and contribution in the promotion of IE were seen in many ways such as developed support services at village level (centre du jour) where rehabilitation services are provided to CWDs early by trained and skilled mothers, grouping parents of CWDs in Psycho-Educational Groups for them to receive guidance and counseling required to be able to accept and educate their children. To effectively promote IE all over the country and consequently create inclusive society, the government of Rwanda, through its ministries in charge of Education (MINEDUC), local governance (MINALOC), and family protection (MIGEPROF); should adopt, improve, and implement the community involvement model as addressed in my research.