Perspectives of children with disabilities and their guardians on factors affecting inclusion in education in rural Nepal: “I feel sad that I can’t go to school”

Abstract

Globally, children with disabilities are significantly less likely to attend school compared to their peers without disabilities and, even if they do attend, have poorer educational outcomes. In order to understand why these inequalities persist, this study explores the barriers and enablers to accessing education, including not only school attendance but also the quality of the learning and social experience while at school. We focus on the perspectives of guardians and children with disabilities themselvesvoices that have thus far been underrepresentedcomplemented by perspectives from local and national level stakeholders. Data was collected in three rural districts in Nepal, using semi-structured interviews; data was analysed thematically. Overall, the research found that challenges to inclusion are complex, involving a mixture of individual, family, school, community and policy level factors. Notable barriers were attitudes towards education for children with disabilities, the low capacity of schools to provide an inclusive education, as well as the interplay of additional 'push factors' such as poor health and poverty.

The effect of disability on educational, labor market, and marital outcomes in a low-income context

“…Despite these policy efforts, substantial barriers continue to exist for individuals with disability. In education, for example, various difficulties, such as lack of resources for inclusive teaching and bullying from peers, hinder enrolment, attendance, and attainment ( Banks et al, 2019 ). Furthermore, gender and poverty often compound with disability and exacerbate the educational marginalization for girls with disability and those from poor households ( Banks et al, 2019 ).…”

Studies on Disability Perspectives Inclusive Education in Nepal - Focus on Methodological Review

“…There are mixed factors of individual, family, school, community and policy to augment challenges to inclusion. Major factors are the attitude towards education of disabled children, lack of resources in the schools to carry overload of inclusive education and the alarming factors of poor, poverty and deteriorated health [29].…”

No One Left Behind? Comparing Poverty and Deprivation between People with and without Disabilities in the Maldives

“…For instance, school enrolment and attainment do not capture the quality of schooling, which is an important consideration for both children with and without disabilities. However, children with disabilities face an increased risk of poor quality schooling, as education systems often do not have resources in place to support their learning (e.g., instruction in Braille, sign language) [44,45]. Similarly, indicators on household access to improved WASH can mask difficulties people with disabilities face in using these services independently, hygienically, consistently and with dignity [46][47][48].…”