Read the following excerpt of the UNICEF report. Thereafter, read the case study and answer the
questions that follow: ARTICLE: Inclusive schools pave the way for inclusive societies. Children’s right
to inclusive, quality education remains a challenge for children globally: Maida Pasic, UNICEF Regional
Adviser on Education for Europe and Central Asia (12 February 2024) UNICEF REPORT Children’s
right to inclusive, quality education remains a challenge for children globally. This is especially true for
the nearly 11 million children with disabilities living in 55 countries and territories in Europe and
Central Asia. UNICEF’s rece n t rep ort presents data from nine countries across the region and outlines
the challenges children with disabilities face in accessing development and learning opportunities1. Data
from four counties and territories in the Western Balkans including Kosovo2, Montenegro, North
Macedonia and Serbia, find that children with disabilities face discrimination and exclusion in their
homes, schools and communities, at all stages of childhood. In their early years, children with disabilities
are less likely to be played with at home than children without disabilities, meaning they are less likely to
receive adequate early stimulation and responsive care. In Kosovo, only 1 in 10 children with disabilities
has access to books at home. Stigmatisation, discrimination and neglect continue into school years.
Children with disabilities are more likely to be out of school than children without disabilities. At
primary school level, Montenegro and North Macedonia have the highest rates of out- of-school children
with disabilities. Kosovo has the second highest rate among nine countries with available data at the
upper-secondary level, with 1 in 6 children with disabilities of upper-secondary age missing out on school.
In most countries with available data, children with disabilities are less likely to demonstrate
foundational literacy and numeracy skills than children without disabilities. What are countries doing to
address this situation? Governments in the region are showing a strong commitment to reverse these
trends. In all four countries and territories in the Western Balkans, ministries of education have put in
place ambitious inclusive education reforms that have resulted in systemic changes and attitudinal shifts
and represent good practices for the entire region.
CASE STUDY AFF Primary School serves a diverse community but faces significant challenges of
inclusive education. Despite several national policies supporting inclusive education, AFF's principal, Mr
Simpson, is sceptical of its implementation at his school. This has resulted in a lack of training for
teachers to accommodate learners with barriers to learning in their classrooms. As a result, Emily
Johnson, a 10-year- old Grade 3 learner at the school, has been struggling with mathematics and reading
since Grade 1. She was promoted to Grade 2 despite her difficulties, with the hope that she would
improve. By Grade 3, it was evident that Emily could not perform at the expected level. She was
therefore retained in Grade 3 for two consecutive years. Foundation Phase teachers discussed Emily’s
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