Inclusive participatory approach with organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs)
The FCDO-funded project, “Support Mainstreaming Inclusive Education to all Learn Equally” (SMILE) aims to create a locally driven, sustainable, and scalable model of disability-inclusive education in eight schools in Jema’a Local Government Area (LGA), Kaduna State, Nigeria to support the government in addressing some of the gaps in service delivery. Sightsavers collaborated with the Nigerian Teachers Institute (NTI) to develop, publish and implement inclusive education training for primary school teachers. OPD partners support school-based management committees to address disability inclusion more effectively by increasing awareness at school level and in the community, providing guidance to parents of children with disabilities and helping to make the school environment more inclusive so that all children with disabilities feel welcome and safe to participate. Inclusive and participatory project planning in education with OPDs creates an inclusive learning environment, where all children can participate equally.
