Teachers challenged on inclusive education

United Kingdom based inclusive education expert, Diana Mills, has challenged teachers in the country to devise methods to help them handle learners with disabilities amid lack of teaching aids.

Mills noted that it would be difficult for Malawi to achieve inclusive education when teachers do not satisfy the needs and expectations of learners with disabilities.

She made the remarks last Saturday at the end of a week-long training workshop she facilitated in conjunction with Malawi Union of the Blind (MUB) to equip 24 teachers from Mambala Primary School in Phalombe with skills that can help them handle learners with special needs in the absence of teaching and learning aids.

Mills feared that lack of teaching aids and assistive devices for learners with disabilities could hinder children with special needs to access education; hence, the need for teachers to be innovative to ensure learners with disabilities access education.

MUB inclusive education coordinator Stuart Chauluka said his organisation, with support from Operations Day Work (ODW), wants to see learners with special needs accessing quality education and increasing their participation and performance in class.

Chauluka disclosed that it is for this reason that the union is conducting regular trainings in inclusive education to assist teachers with skills for handling learners with special needs.

Phalombe district education manager, Lewis Chakhota, thanked MUB for its commitment towards the promotion of inclusive education in the country.