Why Another School…

J.O.S School is the first initiative of the Tiina Jori Ko Ba (Hope Restored) NGO to collectively better the quality of education for all students in the Upper East Region in Ghana. The Tiina Jori Ko Ba NGO is dedicated to working in partnership with local, national, and international entities to see quality healthcare and education initiatives started and completed in the Upper East Region in Ghana. We hope to see many students impacted through these inclusive schools throughout the region.

The Inclusive education (IE) policy was officially published in June of 2015. Although the IE policy has been disseminated widely, some schools in Ghana still continue to turn students away because of their disabilities, teachers report that they feel inadequately prepared to teach in an inclusive setting, and the National Resource and Assessment Center for Inclusive Education has yet to be completed.

According to the 2010 Population and Housing Census in Ghana, there were 130,000 children living with disabilities (CWD), which is 1.6% of children between the ages of 4 and 17 years old (Ghana- Education Strategic Plan. 2018). However, this number is thought to be grossly underestimated due to low detection rates amongst children (Ghana-Education Strategic Plan, 2018).  There were 29,000 CWD registered in basic and secondary schools meaning that there are still more than 100,000 CWD not attending schools in Ghana (Ghana- Strategic Plan, 2018). Even with the adoption of Inclusive Education policies in Ghana, children with disabilities continue to be left behind. The implementation of inclusive education policy has disseminated information but has not been implemented widely. 

A recent study of 400 Basic School teachers found that more than 80 percent of the teachers were aware of the inclusive education policy in Ghana and 57 percent were aware of the existence of standards and guidelines for its implementation (Senadza et. al., 2019, p. vi). The study also found that 82 percent of basic schoolteachers that they surveyed had received training on Inclusive Education at their College of Education (CoE).

However, less than half of the teachers rated the training as adequate (Senadza et. al., 2019, p. v). These findings suggest that knowledge about the Inclusive education is widespread, however, actual preparedness may be less widespread. Another study surveyed 125 teachers from four different CoEs in Ghana and found that 62% of the teacher educators surveyed felt inadequately prepared for the implementation of inclusive education despite 80%-86% of respondents having adequate knowledge about special needs children and inclusive education (Nketsia and Gyimah, 2016). These studies highlight the fact that although inclusive education information has been widely disseminated, teachers still feel unprepared to teach in an inclusive setting.

J.O.S School hopes to be one school to help to change some of these issues dealing with teacher unpreparedness. We hope to operate as a model school in our region for inclusive educationists, and educators in the Upper East Region. Inclusive education does not ONLY work in Accra, or in the southern part of Ghana. Inclusive Education CAN work everywhere…in small towns, and in villages. In places with few resources, and in places with plenty. Quality Inclusive Education CAN work everywhere and J.O.S School exists in Navrongo, Ghana to prove this very fact.

Notes

Ministry of Education-Ghana. (2020). Education strategic plan. (). online: Global Partnership for Education. Retrieved from https://www.globalpartnership.org/content/education-strategic-plan-2018-2030-ghana 

Nketsia, W., Saloviita, T., & Gyimah, E. K. (2016). Teacher educators’ views on inclusive education and teacher preparation in ghana. International Journal of Whole Schooling, 12(2), 1.

Senadza, B., Ayerakwa,HM. Mills, AA. Asare, G., & Oppong, C. (2019). Inclusive education: Learners with disabilities and special education needs in Ghana. online. Retrieved from Research Trust Limited, http://resourceshub.ncte.edu.gh/files/docs/Learning%20Hub/Research%20and%20evidence%20-%20teacher%20education%20in%20Ghana/Final%20Inclusion%20Education%20Report.pdf