INCLUSIVE EDUCATION EDUCATION FACT SHEET INCLUSION IS FUNDAMENTAL TO THE WORLD BANK’S WORK IN EDUCATION AROUND THE WORLD. THIS MEANS CREATING SYSTEMIC CHANGE FOR OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO QUALITY EDUCATIONAL ACCESS, PARTICIPATION, LEARNING PROGRESS AND OUTCOMES FOR ALL LEARNERS. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM The World Bank commits to 244 million children and youth between ages 6 and 18 years are not in school removing barriers to inclusive today, and many marginalized children face barriers to learning even when they education so that the right to education are in school. may be upheld for all children and youth, including learners from Over 40 percent of students who enroll in primary education do not make it poorer households and/or rural and to upper secondary school by the age they are expected to reach this level of remote communities, persons with schooling. disabilities, ethnic- and linguistic Despite progress being made over the years, as of 2020, only 10 percent of minorities, Indigenous Peoples, countries had laws that help ensure full inclusion in education, and many refugees, sexual orientation and gender countries still do not collect, report, or use data on those left behind. minorities, and other marginalized and/ or vulnerable groups. Marginalized groups face myriad barriers to accessing quality education, including inaccessible teaching and learning materials or classroom pedagogies, and stigma or discrimination. Often the most vulnerable learners are those with intersecting vulnerabilities. The learning crisis and learning poverty—which have been exacerbated by COVID-19— cannot be tackled unless systemic barriers are addressed, and the diverse educational needs of all learners are met. MEETING THE CHALLENGE Inclusive education is a process that requires a profound cultural shift to attain one education system for all learners with the provision of supports inclusive of all marginalized and/or vulnerable groups. The process towards more inclusive education systems cannot happen overnight. It requires a holistic and targeted, whole-of-government approach, and consideration of specific minority, marginalized and/or vulnerable groups. HOW TO ENSURE EQUITY AND INCLUSION IN EDUCATION Laws, Regulations, Policies, Training/Professional Development Finance To equip all teachers, school leaders, and To design legal frameworks and education personnel with relevant skills financing mechanisms that explicitly and knowledge. include marginalized groups. Institutional Building Teaching and Learning Materials To strengthen education systems and To make all teaching and learning capacities, foster partnerships with materials, including educational communities, and leverage cross- technologies, non-discriminatory and sectoral collaboration. accessible to all. Education Management Curriculum and Assessment Information Systems (EMIS) To design accessible and flexible curricula To optimize data and information and student assessment tools and systems for decision-making. systems. Construction and Renovation Awareness Raising To ensure all educational facilities are To foster understanding and support accessible, safe, and protect students for social inclusion, by shifting minds or from hazards and harm. combating stigma/discrimination. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION APPROACH OF THE WORLD BANK The World Bank is working with governments around the world to support inclusive education of all marginalized and/or vulnerable learners. The Pathways to Inclusion and Equity Approach Paper (2024) provides guidance to the World Bank and other stakeholders on how to ensure that education sector operations become more inclusive and better serve marginalized learners. This Approach Paper introduces four guiding principles that can support the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs aimed at the inclusion of all learners, as well as targeted support for specific marginalized and discriminated groups. Principle 1: Meet countries where they are on the This requires the active engagement of governments, pathway to inclusive education particularly ministries of education, and multisectoral collaboration among relevant line ministries such as health, There is no single method for planning or implementing finance, water, and social protection. To facilitate collaboration inclusion in education. Context-specific environmental, social, in achieving these goals, countrywide, disaggregated, and and educational barriers should be identified and addressed robust data about all learners must be systemically collected early in the process of designing education programs. Meeting and made accessible. countries where they are may mean starting with small, low-risk interventions before phasing in larger scale implementation. Principle 3: Identify and support inclusive practices in schools, and other education settings Action plans should be tailored to meet each country’s specific needs. For some, it may mean developing the first-ever To support the inclusive education of countries, their traditional inclusive education policy or relevant laws and regulations; practices of exclusion, segregation, integration, and inclusion for others, it may mean focusing on capacity building, must first be analyzed. A tool that addresses placement, designing curricula and assessments that are fit for purpose, presence, participation, and progress (4Ps framework) can strengthening accountability mechanisms, or identifying and help identify how current practices can be improved and scaling innovative solutions. It is also important to conduct supported across the education system, at both the whole-of- contextually relevant research and evaluate existing inclusive school and classroom levels (including schools, technical and education interventions to inform decision making and build a vocational education and training institutions, and universities). stronger evidence base. It is important to invest in teachers as a driving force for change by providing teacher training; introducing different models Principle 2: Provide an enabling environment through to support inclusive education, such as itinerant teachers or systemic change and a twin-track approach resource center models; securing focused financing; and ensuring an adequate skilled workforce. This includes An enabling environment for inclusion relies on systemic having enough skilled and knowledgeable teachers change in education reform efforts, ensuring a twin-track and other school-based staff. Engagement of leadership in approach by: schools and other educational institutions is also essential for 1.  Making the general education system in all levels of understanding, planning, and implementing inclusive education education (from pre-primary to tertiary education) at all levels. more inclusive for all learners. This means, for example, Principle 4: Collaborate with relevant stakeholders mainstreaming disability inclusion in all education reform efforts (e.g., through legislation, policy interventions, With an increased emphasis on strengthening knowledge inclusive curriculum and flexible assessment system and understanding of a more inclusive education system, it is mechanisms, regular support for teachers and school important that stakeholders recognize the potential benefits leaders). of inclusive education for all students. Stakeholders, local community leaders, teachers, parents, caregivers, community Specifying targeted actions to support learners with 2.  members, organizations for persons with disabilities (OPDs), and different types of disadvantages. This ensures, for example, other civil society groups—play a critical role in driving demand that learners with disabilities receive the additional support for inclusion in education. Government leaders may be better and reasonable accommodations they need, such as positioned to empower stakeholders to implement innovative providing sign language users with appropriate support learning solutions that are effective and foster greater buy-in and resources to learn to read with the support of signs from all involved. and sign language. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION OPERATIONS AND INITIATIVES OF THE WORLD BANK Country and regional examples of World Bank’s Inclusive Education work around the world include: • Sierra Leone Free Education Project is designed to support • The Inclusive Education Policy Academy Learning the inclusion of children with disabilities through school- Exchange is a hands-on professional development and system-level interventions. The project supports the program to engage with partner institutions and multi- government in developing and implementing an inclusive sectoral stakeholders on a specific thematic challenge or education policy; conducting anti-stigma campaigns priority area that countries are addressing, in the process of which highlight the capacities and rights of persons strengthening inclusive education systems. Joining multi- with disabilities; training teachers, school leaders, and country cohorts of Inclusive Education Policy Academy administrators on how to promote an inclusive education provides an opportunity to strengthen country dialogue environment; and promoting universal access and design and peer support for more inclusive education system as part of the national school construction strategy. The development. Rwanda, Ethiopia, The Gambia and Zambia project uses a multisectoral approach, whereby the Ministry have participated in the Inclusive Education Policy Academy of Education personnel work closely with civil society actors Phase 1, focusing on disability inclusion in education. and other nongovernmental organizations. Selected and relevant inclusive education and disability inclusion themes such as identification and referral of • Angola Girls’ Empowerment and Learning for All Project learners with disabilities, data needs, an inclusive education integrates inclusive education as a cross-cutting area, management information system (EMIS), inclusive teacher and employs various activities to support marginalized education, curriculum, teaching and learning materials, and learners, including girls and learners with disabilities. inclusive school management and leadership were explored Efforts to support girls include enhancing access to sexual during the Inclusive Education Policy Academy live sessions. and reproductive health services and providing remedial During 2024-2026 Inclusive Education Policy Academy and second chance support for out-of-school girls. For activities focusing on disability inclusion will continue learners with disabilities, the project is strengthening the with the support by the Scottish Government for Malawi governments’ EMIS system with indicators to capture (Phases 1,2,3) and Rwanda and Zambia (Phases 2,3) through disability; providing capacity building for education Foundational Learning Compact (FLC) Trust Fund. personnel; developing a system for teachers to identify, assess, and monitor children with learning difficulties; Disability Inclusion is also a cross-cutting theme of the designating inclusion champions in each school; and Foundational Learning Compact (FLC), which aims to improve conducting anti-stigma campaigns on the capacities and learning outcomes for all children. FLC is a multi-donor rights of persons with disabilities. umbrella trust fund for early childhood, primary and secondary education. See the FLC flyer for more! • Tuvalu Learning Project focuses on early childhood education and developing foundational literacy and numeracy skills for all learners. A core component of the project is to train teachers in the use of play-based learning and provide ongoing mentoring support through lesson observations and specific targeted training on themes of inclusive education, including gender, gender-based RESOURCES FOR violence, child protection, and disability inclusion. Public POLICYMAKERS awareness campaigns and outreach efforts also help AND PARTNERS identify and address challenges with attendance and barriers to access including differences and similarities ON INCLUSIVE across gender and disability; and support is provided to EDUCATION parents to foster stimulating home environments and further For additional project scaffold early childhood development. examples and more INCLUSIVE EDUCATION APPROACH PAPER information on inclusive November 2024 • Romania Safer, Inclusive and Sustainable Schools aims to education at the world Pathways to Inclusion and Equity: Disability foster more inclusive school learning environments so that bank see our flyers Inclusion in Education all children have a fair and equal chance to develop skills on Disability Inclusion, needed to thrive. The project is underpinned by three cross- Fragility Conflict and cutting areas: community inclusion, gender, and climate VIOLENCE, and the GIRLS’ Education change. Project activities include constructing safe and brochure. Education Operations SUPPORT HUB accessible school infrastructure, and designing classrooms that are highly functional, age-appropriate, child-directed, and teacher-supported, to promote the individual and social development of all children. APRIL 2025 Photos: © Dominic Chavez / World Bank Contact © K M Asas / World Bank inclusive_education@worldbank.org © Mohammad Al-Arief / World Bank © World Bank