Group 3: National Legal and Policy Issues

A) Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (1994)

B) The Education and Training Policy (1994)
C) The National Plan of Action of Persons with Disabilities (2012-2021)
D) The Special Needs/Inclusive Education strategy (2012)

NATIONAL LEGAL AND POLICY ISSUES

The government of Ethiopia has adopted and implemented a number of laws, policies and standards
pertaining to people with disabilities, including their right to productive and decent work. The major are

A) CONSTITUTION OF THE FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC RREPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA

Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, adopted in 1995. Article 41(5) of the
Constitution sets out the State’s responsibility for the provision of necessary rehabilitation and support
services for people with disabilities.

National Legal Instruments

a. The Ethiopian Constitution
The Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) under article 41 sub-
articles no.3 and no.9 clearly stipulates:

The rights of citizens to equal access to publicly funded services

The State shall, within available means, allocate resources to provide rehabilitation and
assistance to the physically and mentally disabled, the aged, and to children who are left without
parents and guardians.
Under article 9 (4), it is also indicated that all international agreements ratified by Ethiopia are
an integral part of the law of the land. Not only that, article 13 elaborates that all legislative,
executive and judicial organs have the responsibility to respect and enforce what is embodied
under that section, which should be done in conformity with human rights considerations.
 Article41(5) states that The State shall, within available means, allocate resources to provide
rehabilitation and assistance to the physically and mentally disabled, the aged, and to children who
are left without parents or guardian.

B) THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING POLICY

The policy put To enable both the handicapped and the gifted learn in accordance with their
potential and needs as its specific objective. The document recognizes that Special education and
training will be provided for people with special needs in its educational structure strategy.
However, it does not have any clear recognition for reasonable

b) The Education and Training Policy

The Education and Training Policy (1994) under its specific objectives sub-item, 2.2.3
unequivocally states that persons with disabilities and the gifted learn in accordance to their
potential and needs.
In its subsequent titles under sub-items 3.2.9, 3.4.11 and 3.7.6 underlines that there will be
special education and training for persons with special needs, teacher training for special
education will be provided in regular teacher training programs and special attention will be
given in the preparation and utilization of support input for special education respectively
According to the Higher Education Proclamation No.650/2009 article 40 item one, states that
institutions shall make, to extent possible, their facilities and programs amenable to use with
relative ease by physically challenged students.
c. Educational structure no. 2 2.3
Confirms that efforts will be made to enable people with special needs /both with disability and
the Gifted/ learn in accordance with their potential and needs.
d. Higher Education Proclamation No.650/2009,

Article 40, item1 states that institutions shall make, to the extent possible, their facilities and
programs are easy to use by physically challenged students.

f. Education Sector Development /ESDP IV/

Expected program outcomes
Enrollment of children with special educational needs increased at all levels of education and due
attention will be given to girls with special needs
Number of trained teachers in SNE/ inclusive education increased
Capacity of schools in addressing the academic and social needs of children with special
educational needs improved
Ethiopia has adopted and implemented a number of laws, policies and standards pertaining to
people with disabilities, including their right to productive and decent work.
accommodation.

3, THE NATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

The main objective of the Program was "to promote the
goals of full participation and equal opportunities for persons with disabilities in all spheres of life
through the involvement of the concerned governmental and non-governmental organizations and
the community as a whole."
 It addresses the needs of persons with disabilities in Ethiopia for a comprehensive rehabilitation
services, equal opportunities for education, skills training and work, and full participation in the
life of their families, communities and the nation.
NATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION ON DISABILITY
Building upon the priorities of the “National Programme of Action for Rehabilitation of
Persons with Disabilities” (1999) the “Developmental Social Welfare Policy” (1996) and
the Ethiopian Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP), the National Plan of Action) for
Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (2010-2020) was prepared in order to promote,
protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of fundamental rights, public services,
opportunities for education and work, and the full participation in family, community and
national life by all persons with disabilities in Ethiopia.
The NPA was formulated to address specific priorities over the period 2010-2020 to overcome
barriers to equality of opportunity and the full participation of persons with disabilities in society,
and thus contribute to achieving a society inclusive of all.

National Contex
The development polices of the country aim at bringing about economic growth and reducing
poverty. The sectoral development programs and national plans of action of the respective Federal
Ministries all contribute to the achievement of the national development goals. As disability is a cross-
cutting, multi-sectoral issue, the respective sectoral development programs and national plans of action
of other Federal Ministries must also provide their contributions for the inclusion of persons with
disabilities.
 The participation of persons with disabilities and their organizations in the revision of
existing sectoral development programs and national plans of action of other Ministries,
or the formulation of new ones, is essential for the design of relevant programs and the
delivery of effective services that address the economic and social needs, and the full
inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in the country.
Basic Principles
The NPA is based on UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
(UNCRPD) as the framework for all actions in support of equality of opportunity and full
participation of persons with disabilities which sets out the following basic principles:
1. Respect for the inherent dignity and freedom of persons with disabilities
2. Non-discrimination
3. Full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making
4. Respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities in society
5. Equality of opportunity
6. Accessibility
7. Equality between men and women
8. Respect for the rights and evolving capacities of children with disabilities
These principles are based on those contained in the World Programme of Action
concerning Disabled Persons and in the Standard Rules on the Equalization of
Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities.Together with the UN Convention, the
principles contained in these documents are the basis for promotion, formulation and evaluation of
policies, plans, programs and actions at national, regional and
international levels to further equalize opportunities for persons with disabilities.

4, The Special Needs/Inclusive Education strategy (2012)

Objective

First of all before we get to the strategies we need to know the objectives first so the overall objective of
the strategy is to build an inclusive education system which will provide quality,

relevant and equitable education and training to all children, youth and adults with SEN and ultimately
enable them to fully participate in the socio-economic development of the country. So some of the
strategies are:

Establishing Responsibility and Accountability SNE/IE services are offered within the existing education
and training structure. Therefore, thevarious hierarchies in the education structure (from Federal
Ministry to each educational institution) will take full responsibility and accountability for ensuring that
all children, youth and adults are served by the education system,
 SNE/IE experts should be assigned at all educational levels, i.e., Higher Education, Regional, Zone (if
necessary) and Woreda levels to take care of inclusive education issues (i.e., offering professional
assistance to schools, organizing trainings, ensuring that SNE/IE activities are mainstreamed in planning,
budgeting, monitoring, evaluating and reporting, etc.) in their respective places.

ALLOCATING SUFFICIENT BUDGET

 MoE will allocate adequate budget for activities to be undertaken at Federal level for progressive
realization of the SNE/IE strategy,

 Regional governments and City Administrations should ensure that adequate budget is allocated and
properly expended for progressive realization of the SNE/IE strategy,

 Federal MoE solicits additional fund from donors and other development partners in order to
strengthen SNE/IE practices in the country,

 Higher Education institutions should ensure that students and trainees with special needs receive
appropriate services by allocating sufficient amount of budget,

 Similarly, Regional/ City Administration Education Bureaus and schools are expected to

devise mechanism for soliciting additional resources for the implementation of SNE/IE strategy in their
respective jurisdictions.

Preparing Implementation Guidelines and Data Collection Instruments

Another strategy we need to follow is that we need to prepare guide line so that we have clear projects
to take.

 MoE in consultation with stakeholders will prepare the necessary guidelines for the implementation of
the SNE/IE strategy and adapt the guidelines in the context of their respective regions and institutions,

 MoE, City Administrations will prepare appropriate instruments to gather data on various aspects,
particularly on disabled group . Each educational institution, region and city administration will be
responsible and accountable to systematically gather and send relevant data to Educational
Management Information System (EMIS) of MoE.

Strengthening awareness raising activities

Inclusive education relies on widespread acceptance of the rights of LSEN to be educated in general
education classrooms and to receive equitable resourcing (that is, funding which is adequate to meet
their needs).

Failure to recognize these rights constitutes one of the biggest barriers to inclusive education.
Accordingly, a concerted and continuous effort must be exerted to raise the level of awareness and
rectify the wrong attitudes held by parents, community elders, religious, political and education leaders,
teachers, employers and the community at large.

To this end, a multifaceted and target-tailored communication approaches (such as campaign,

community mobilization, social marketing, etc), and techniques (such asworkshops, TV and radio spots,
school mini-media, brochures, community dialogue, panel discussion, symposium, posters, etc), will be
employed

Accessible environment

conducive and friendly enough to accommodate a person with disabilities. Facilities such as adapted
toilet, adapted seats in library, adequate space for wheel chairs, ramps, signage, water supply, play
grounds; etc should be accessible to these children. In the case of multi-story school buildings, measure
must be taken to build a modified ramp. Until then, classes for learners with physical disabilities should
be located in the ground floor.

As stipulated in Ethiopian Building Proclamation No. 624/2009, future buildings should have inbuilt
ramp and lift/elevator services for the use of students with disabilities. Creating Friendly School
Environment Education leaders at all levels, particularly school management bodies should strive to

create friendly, so these are some of the education strategies to inclusion of the disabled. e. The
special needs education program strategy
The key elements of the strategy are:
Favorable policy environment
Duties & responsibilities in education system
Using strengthening national expertise
Allocation and use of funds
Cooperation and partners
School management
Teacher education
Design establishment and functioning of support systems.
Allocation and use of funds
Cooperation and partners
School management
Teacher education
Design establishment and functioning of support systems