A one-year programme aimed at improving inclusive education, economic empowerment and awareness of the rights of children and youths with disabilities has been launched in Arua City. The Community-Driven Inclusive Education Programme (COPED), implemented by Action for Transformation of Youths with Disability (ACT-YOD), is funded by Fund Global Human Rights at a cost of US$10,000.
The programme targets 804 direct participants, including 387 learners with disabilities from Ediofe Girls Primary School and Arua Parents Primary School, 387 parents and caregivers, and 60 teachers who will be trained in sign language to support learners with hearing impairments.
ACT-YOD Programme Coordinator Maxwell Asiku said the initiative is intended to address some of the barriers that prevent learners with disabilities from accessing and completing education. He said despite existing laws and policies promoting disability inclusion, many learners continue to face challenges, including inaccessible infrastructure and a shortage of trained personnel to support them.
Asiku said the programme will train teachers in sign language interpretation and sensitise communities about the rights of persons with disabilities.
The programme began in July 2026 with initial arrangements and assessments and will run until July 2027. Under the programme, parents and caregivers of learners with disabilities will also be supported through savings groups and livelihood skills to improve their ability to support their children.
Agnes Ajio, Ayivu Division Education Officer in charge of Special Needs, acknowledged the challenges schools face in implementing inclusive education, saying development partners are supplementing government efforts through various interventions. Ajio cautioned parents against preventing children with disabilities from accessing education, noting that some parents and caregivers hide children with disabilities, limiting their access to essential services.
At the school level, the programme will establish Disability Clubs for the 387 learners with disabilities at the two participating schools. The clubs will sensitise learners about their rights and support them to remain in school. Research conducted by ACT-YOD indicates that 179 of the 2,519 pupils enrolled at Ediofe Girls Primary School have different forms of disabilities. At Arua Parents Primary School, 208 of the 2,620 pupils have disabilities.
The 2024 National Population and Housing Census indicates that about 26 percent of children aged six to 12 years with disabilities and 34.2 percent of those aged 13 to 17 years are out of school. The census puts the total number of persons living with disabilities in Uganda at 10,771,312. Of these, 1,098,586 have communication or speech difficulties, 1,979,613 have hearing impairments, 2,010,453 have visual impairments, while 2,075,931 experience difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
ACT-YOD Executive Director Twalib Ayub, in an interpreted message, said children and youths with disabilities continue to face discrimination and stigma, which limits their access to opportunities. “We have realized that most of the time, young people with disabilities face a lot of discrimination. Where there are opportunities, they are left aside,” he said.
Ediofe Girls Primary School Deputy Head of Special Needs Geoffrey Bayo welcomed the programme, saying the school has struggled to provide adequate support to learners with disabilities due to staffing gaps, particularly personnel trained to assist learners with hearing impairments. Bayo said training teachers in sign language would improve communication with learners and enhance their learning experience.
The census report further indicates that more than half of young people with disabilities remain excluded from education, employment and training opportunities, highlighting the continuing challenges of achieving inclusive development and social equity in Uganda-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
