Equity and Inclusion Working Group RENCP General Assembly By Vincent MURENZI 30 th July Tel

Updates from recent WG activities Under the lead of NUDOR, we met on 17 th July 2015 to collect more evidence behind low enrolment and high drop out rates for CwDs. Practical recommendations were set for a better way forward; E&I WG members have visited and monitored enrolment in 9YBE and TVET schools of 5 districts of Rwanda; E&I WG members, in partnership with UR-College of Education, have put in place a school- community engagement and partnership plan for research in IE. E&I WG members contributed to the development of UR IE policy developed by the School of Inclusive education: draft under final touches;

Updates from recent WG activities Handicap International got funds from UNICEF to implement a programme named ‘’Promoting Inclusive Learning (PIL) in Rwandan schools’’. The programme will support the implementation of the new competence-based curriculum. VSO got funds from EDC to implement L3 + project in two districts of Nyaruguru+ Nyamagabe. It adds to the existing L3 structure the component of ‘’ disability’’ with focus on resource centres for referral and support services; VSO organized Inclusive Education Flagship Framework and gathered different countries to harmonize researches on IE: HI provided some technical inputs.

Successes New partnerships and funding agreements developed; The SNE/IE policy validated; Strategies and mechanisms for working with the community in research set out; Joint efforts made towards promoting IE in Rwanda.

Critical issues Financial limitations to recruit lecturers for Masters’ program in SNE and IE Children with disabilities are still out of school in our local communities There is still a serious communication barrier in inclusive education

Outstanding issue Develop partnerships with UR to support its long term teacher capacity building plan. Ensure new project proposals bear a strategy for sustainable impact in as much as we can.

Next Quarter WG Key Activities Support MINEDUC/REB to train teachers on the new competence-based curriculum and inclusive education; Development of L3 and resource centres; Strengthen advocacy at national level to create synergies in IE; Continue searching for new funding opportunities.

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