Alio Assoumane, 50, has been working for HI for the past 4 years as an inclusive education officer in Maradi, Niger. Passionate about education from an early age, he has worked in this sector throughout his career. Alio first worked as a primary school teacher for ten years, before specialising in the sociology of education to become a teacher trainer at the teacher training college in Maradi. His professional experience and expertise now inform his work at HI.
A difficult context for students with disabilities
In recent years, the security situation in the Maradi region of southern Niger has deteriorated, with serious consequences for the education sector. Many schools have had to close because of security concerns and population displacements. At the same time, a raft of reforms has been introduced, to which it is sometimes difficult for teachers and parents to adapt.
In this context, there are additional challenges for children with disabilities, who also have to contend with prejudice, both within the community and, in some cases, within the teaching profession. As a teacher, Alio witnessed systematic discrimination by some of his colleagues when enrolling children with disabilities in school. Lacking training in inclusive teaching practices, they perceived the presence of disabled pupils in their classrooms as an additional burden.
"The weight of tradition is such that very few disabled children go to school. Before the inclusive education project began in Maradi in 2017, even talking about the education of a child with disabilities was something of a "miracle". Many people thought that disabled children had no place in school. Thank God, today we are seeing real progress," says Alio, with satisfaction.
Improvements in the educational environment
In recent years, thanks to a curriculum reform in Niger, the issue of disability has been incorporated into teacher training. As a result, young teachers now have specific skills to meet the learning needs of children with disabilities.
Alio is also pleased to see the government take steps to improve the accessibility of schools by incorporating access ramps at the earliest stages of construction projects. However, much more financial investment is needed to enable a growing number of children with disabilities to access education.
"Some obstacles do not come from the children themselves, but from institutional, medical or financial barriers. Obtaining specific teaching materials to meet the needs of a disabled child is often a challenge. These materials are not available on the local market, or are not available in sufficient quantities. Funding in this area is woefully inadequate," explains Alio.
Society’s perception of disability is changing
Alio has noticed a change in the community’s attitude towards children with disabilities. He is also delighted to see a change in behaviour among the parents of children with disabilities, who are now enrolling their children in school. This is largely thanks to a massive awareness campaign run by HI on the television, radio and social media, as well as to recreational activities organised between children with and without disabilities.
“Children with disabilities are now very well integrated in the classroom. They are welcomed both by their peers and by the education community as a whole."
A journey rich in encounters
Among the many children with disabilities he has supported, Alio remembers one in particular. Mahamadou Abdoulaye was born with a rare condition commonly known as dwarfism. The context in which Mahamadou grew up was not an easy one. His physical appearance frightened the other children, and sometimes even the teachers. With the support of HI and the help of awareness-raising activities, Mahamadou is now accepted by those around him. He is friends with all his classmates. No one is afraid of him anymore.
"I have been very impressed by the way Mahamadou has fought to overcome the barriers in his way. It's very motivating. But we still have a long way to go to ensure that all children with disabilities can access their right to education."
HI's socio-economic inclusion and inclusive education project in Niger is deployed in three regions (Niamey, Maradi and Tahoua). Since its rollout in 2017 in Maradi, the project has provided more than 80 schools with adapted teaching and learning materials, identified nearly 5,000 children with disabilities for personalised support, and trained nearly 600 teachers in inclusive education, sign language and Braille. In addition, 380 parents have been informed about deafness and introduced to sign language, and almost 50,000 parents and community members have been made aware of and trained in disability and inclusive education. A further 260 people from the public services and the professional world have been shown how to include people with disabilities in the workplace. Finally, 35 education advisers have been trained and 200 young disabled people have benefited from adapted vocational training.
