Making Inclusive Education Sustainable: A Programme's Practical Approach

With the SDGs, sustainability in development came into greater focus. Anticipating SDG4, the ‘Access to Quality Education Programme’ has worked since 2011 in the poorest primary schools in Fiji, South Pacific, to change... [ view full abstract ]

With the SDGs, sustainability in development came into greater focus. Anticipating SDG4, the ‘Access to Quality Education Programme’ has worked since 2011 in the poorest primary schools in Fiji, South Pacific, to change attitudes and increase community and teacher awareness about inclusive education, with remarkable results. AQEP specifically designed sustainability into its work to maintain these benefits.

AQEP developed effective practices in inclusive education for children with disability, generating research and empirical evidence, and working with the Ministry of Education on inclusive education policy. School and community outreach activities supported improved attendance at schools for all children, and teachers received practical guidance in literacy and numeracy.

This Quick-fire will demonstrate AQEP’s systematic approach to sustainability so that Fiji’s future sustainable development may build on the educational opportunities of all its children: advocacy, data analysis, implementing school ‘handover events’ jointly with the Ministry, regular reporting, Lessons Learned and Best Practice papers.