1. COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (COSUPED) BOX: 71434 Dar es Salaam PHONE: +255 714-166108 EMAIL: cosuped@yahoo.com

2. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND FREE EDUCATION IN TANZANIA INTRODUCTION INCLUSIVE EDUCATION Improvement within schools Restructuring education cultures, policies and practices Changing the education system so that it is flexible Identification and removal of barriers

3. The National Strategy on Inclusive Education for 2009 to 2017 Inclusive education is a system of education in which all children, youths and adults are enrolled, actively participate and achieve in regular schools and other educational programmes regardless of their diverse backgrounds and abilities, without discrimination, through minimisation of barriers and maximisation of resources.

4. Education policies and programmes are informed by inclusive values and practices Teaching and learning respond to the diverse needs of learners Educational support is available to all learners Professional capabilities for inclusive education are widened and strengthened Community ownership of and participation in inclusive education is enhanced

5. Learners who are more likely to be vulnerable in Tanzania have been identified as: Children with disabilities Children from poor families Children in gender biased families/communities Children from pastoralist /fisher folks/hunters/gatherers communities Children from geographically disadvantaged areas Children in worst forms of labour e.g. commercial sex workers Abused and neglected children Children in conflict with the law e.g. juvenile prisoners, drug abusers Children living with and affected by HIV/AIDs Children displaced by natural calamities e.g. armed conflicts, droughts, floods Young (girl) mothers thrown out of school or forced to marry in their teens Street children deriving from matrimonial conflicts, abject poverty and/or peer pressure Orphans Child-headed families deriving from abject poverty, broken families

6. FREE EDUCATION “Provision of free education means pupils or students will not pay any fee or other contributions that were being provided by parents or guardians before the release of new circular.”

7. . FREE EDUCATION In November 27, 2015 the Tanzanian government issued Circular 5 which implements the Education and Training Policy 2014 and directs public bodies to ensure that primary and secondary education is free for all children. This includes the removal of all forms of fees and contributions. The Circular reads:Education and Training Policy 2014 “Provision of free education means pupils or students will not pay any fee or other contributions that were being provided by parents or guardians before the release of new circular.” There were other different forms of contributions that were being paid by parents and guardians depending on the decision by school committees of boards. But the new free education circular has removed all forms of contributions, stating clearly that parents and guardians will not have to pay for education of their children from Standard One to Form Four effective January 2016. However, whilst most fees are covered, including exam fees, some indirect costs will still remain for example: for school uniforms, sports uniforms and learning materials such as exercise books and pens. With this Circular, the government has gone beyond its Constitutional obligation to provide free, quality primary education and brings Tanzania in line with the target of Sustainable Development Goal 4 which requires States to ensure that everyone “completes free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education”. The directive now means that children in Tanzania will enjoy eleven years of free schooling.Constitutional obligation to provide free, quality primary educationSustainable Development Goal 4 The schools, according to the circular, will continue with their current arrangements until another circular is released. The new system, expected to be a relief to millions of parents and guardians across the country, is a result of the campaign pledges made by The President of the United Republic of Tanzania Dr. John Magufuli in the 2015 general election. He affirmed that Education would be free from Standard One to Form Four. Free education will have an impact on the quality of education, according to the circular which directs responsible institutions under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to plan for the best education that will foster national development.

8. Observations in Chamwino, Bagamoyo and Mafia Districts Enrolment of pupils Enrolment of pupils with disabilities Children with various disabilities and their specific needs

9. Hearing impairement - Sign language Visual impairement - White cane, A4 Frame, Perkings Brailler machine With Albinism - Magnifying glasses, large prints, hats, long sleeves shirts, sunscreen lotion. Security on their way to and from school. Physically impaired - Wheel chairs, tricycles, artificial limbs, crutches Conducive school environment and accessible buildings and toilets. Hard in hearing - Hearing aid Intellectually impaired - Individualized education program

10. Barriers in inclusive education Attitude Resources Environment Policy -

11. ACHIEVEMENTS Increase in enrolment Increase in enrolment of pupils with disabilites CHALLENGES shortage of classrooms, desks, teachers, toilet facilities, teaching and learning materials Lack of facilities for children with disabilities Free education not clearly undrestood

12. RECOMMENDATIONS Creating awareness on the policy of free education using all types of media. Implementation of the national inclusive education strategy of 2009 to 2017