Handicap International experience in Afghanistan - CBM

Figure 28: Drop-out According to Types of Disability10080• Drop-out before Class 6• Drop-out before Class 12• Higher Education• Finished Class 6• Finished Class 126040200Physical DisabilityBefore 18Sensorial DisabilityBefore 18Mental DisabilityBefore 18AssociatedDisabilities Before 18Epilepsy/SeizuresBefore 18Non-Disabled orDisabled After 18the educational system. Sensitization campaigns towards teachers and community should focus on the waysto retain children who become disabled while still in the educational process. However, Figure 28 shows thatthis issue is less a problem for physically disabled children, especially boys, than for children with other typesof disability, specifically mental and associated.It is important to notice that the majority of persons, disabled or not, drop out during the primary years.However, the drop out rates in primary school are the lowest for the physically disabled – even less than forthe non-disabled. A closer look at the data set shows that those remaining in school are mainly boys. Hugeretention efforts need to be made for all in addition to increasing access in primary schools regarding otherforms of disability.Figure 29: Reasons Identified for Dropping Out of School454035302520151050School ShutDownEconomicDifficulty• Persons-Disabled Before Age 18• Persons-Disabled After Age 18 andNon-DisabledStudied completedor apprenticeshipFailure Become Disabled Other orDon’t KnowThere is a clear difference between the reasons why those disabled during school years and the non-disableddropped out of school. For the first group, the main reason is their disability, economic difficulties and theabsence or shutting down of school. For the non-disabled, the latter two reasons are primarily stated. It isstill difficult to understand what lies behind this explanation “because of my disability”. However, since thesepersons did have some access to school, it is probable that the learning environment is not adapted to includechildren with disability. Close examination of the results shows two factors that play a role in the drop-out ofchildren with disability. First the burden on the family (more for the physically disabled who need to be takento school) and second the discrimination and prejudicial behaviour (more for mental and sensorial formsof disability) of parents of other children, classmates and teachers. These, combined with a lack of adaptedmaterial and sensitised teachers, make learning a real challenge for these children.There is a cleardifferencebetween thereasons whythose disabledduring schoolyears and thenon-disableddropped out ofschoolThere is a strong belief that persons with physical disability can be included in mainstream education whereasthose who have sensorial or mental difficulties need to attend specialised structures. Policy decisions will needTowards Inclusion and Equality in Education39