Tirussew Teferra Tirussew Teferra Addis Ababa University, EthiopiaAddis Ababa University, Ethiopia

Early Childhood & Disability in sub-Early Childhood & Disability in sub-Saharan AfricaSaharan Africa

a

Discussion PointsDiscussion Points

1.1. What are the major early childhood What are the major early childhood disabling factors in sub-Saharan disabling factors in sub-Saharan Africa ?Africa ?

2.2. What children’s do during early What children’s do during early

childhood period.childhood period.

1.1. Conflicting conceptions about early Conflicting conceptions about early childhood development.childhood development.

2.2. Early intervention practices & Early intervention practices & consequences. consequences.

3.3. Some reflectionsSome reflections

Major disabling factors in Major disabling factors in sub-Saharan Africasub-Saharan Africa

Childhood infectious diseases & lack of immunizationChildhood infectious diseases & lack of immunization Under nutrition, personal & environmental hygieneUnder nutrition, personal & environmental hygiene Health condition of prospective mothersHealth condition of prospective mothers Lack of access to medical services during prenatal, Lack of access to medical services during prenatal,

natal & postal period natal & postal period Harmful disabling traditional practices & civil strifeHarmful disabling traditional practices & civil strife Genetic anomalies Genetic anomalies

Note : Most of them are preventable Note : Most of them are preventable

Profile & prevalence of Profile & prevalence of disability in Ethiopia disability in Ethiopia

MO-42 %

VI-30 %

HI-15 %

ID-7%%

BE-2% 2 %

MU-4% 4 %

Base Line Survey [ 1995]

What do CwoDs do What do CwoDs do in Early Childhood period during in Early Childhood period during

sub-Saharan Africa? sub-Saharan Africa?

Most children ( 3 & above) are at home and Most children ( 3 & above) are at home and out-side home out in the field engaged in out-side home out in the field engaged in different tasks /gender based analysis/different tasks /gender based analysis/

The girl childThe girl child - Mainly engaged in domestic tasks such as Mainly engaged in domestic tasks such as

house hold chores, errands, house hold chores, errands, cooking ,cleaning and taking care of cooking ,cleaning and taking care of siblingssiblings

- Fetching water & fire wood Fetching water & fire wood

Children in the range of 3-6 Children in the range of 3-6 looking after cattle in Ethiopia looking after cattle in Ethiopia

What do CwoDs do in Early Childhood What do CwoDs do in Early Childhood Period in sub-Saharan Africa? Cont…Period in sub-Saharan Africa? Cont…

The boy ChildThe boy Child Boys are mainly engaged in out-side Boys are mainly engaged in out-side

tasks such as herding cattle & assist in tasks such as herding cattle & assist in farmingfarming

In the urban areas boys and girls work as In the urban areas boys and girls work as daily laborers, vendors (selling cigarettes, daily laborers, vendors (selling cigarettes, lottery, news papers, food items etc.) lottery, news papers, food items etc.)

In pastoral areas children move from place In pastoral areas children move from place to place with their parents & clansto place with their parents & clans

What do CwoDs do during Early What do CwoDs do during Early Childhood period in sub-Africa? Cont…Childhood period in sub-Africa? Cont…

Limited access to early childhood educationLimited access to early childhood education– Community-basedCommunity-based– Faith-based: Traditional & Modern preschoolsFaith-based: Traditional & Modern preschools– Public -based: Zero classes attached with Public -based: Zero classes attached with

primary schools/Government owned KGsprimary schools/Government owned KGs– Private : International/localPrivate : International/local

Note : Almost all of them them are not Note : Almost all of them them are not

accessible to children with disabilities accessible to children with disabilities

Zero Classes(preschools attached Zero Classes(preschools attached to primary schools – New to primary schools – New

beginning beginning

What do CwDs do during Early What do CwDs do during Early Childhood Period in sub-Saharan Childhood Period in sub-Saharan

Africa? Africa?

The conditions of CwDs varies based on the The conditions of CwDs varies based on the nature & severity of the problem as well as nature & severity of the problem as well as the economic conditions of the familythe economic conditions of the family

Children with severe intellectual Children with severe intellectual disabilities, multiple disabilities and disabilities, multiple disabilities and cerebral palsy and other chronic health cerebral palsy and other chronic health conditions stay at home idle conditions stay at home idle

What do CwDs do during early What do CwDs do during early childhood period in sub-Saharan childhood period in sub-Saharan

Africa? Cont…Africa? Cont…

– Blind children are engaged mainly in Blind children are engaged mainly in domestic house hold tasks domestic house hold tasks

– Children with language disorders, Children with language disorders, children with mild intellectual disability children with mild intellectual disability children with hearing impairment (deaf & children with hearing impairment (deaf & hard of hearing) , & children with low hard of hearing) , & children with low vision are engaged in the domestic and vision are engaged in the domestic and out-side tasks like children with out out-side tasks like children with out disabilities. disabilities.

Note: presence of inclusion out-side schoolNote: presence of inclusion out-side school

What do CwDs do during early What do CwDs do during early childhood period in sub-Saharan childhood period in sub-Saharan

Africa? Cont…Africa? Cont…

CwDs are taken for treatment by CwDs are taken for treatment by their parents mainly by mothers to their parents mainly by mothers to religious places as well to different religious places as well to different traditional healers.traditional healers.

Several of them are engaged in Several of them are engaged in begging around churches, mosques begging around churches, mosques and on the street.and on the street.

Conflicting Conceptions about Early Conflicting Conceptions about Early Childhood in Ethiopia Childhood in Ethiopia

Metaphors conveying the importance of early Metaphors conveying the importance of early care and intervention:care and intervention:

““Lejen be tut ehilen be tikiment”Lejen be tut ehilen be tikiment” [ As the [ As the right time for harvest is on the month of right time for harvest is on the month of October; the time for shaping the child’s October; the time for shaping the child’s behavior is during the period of breast behavior is during the period of breast feeding]feeding]

““Zaf belejenet yetarekal”Zaf belejenet yetarekal” [ As [ As straightening a tree during its nursery stage straightening a tree during its nursery stage is easy; it is easy to mold the child’s behavior is easy; it is easy to mold the child’s behavior in early years of development]in early years of development]

Conflicting conceptions of Early Conflicting conceptions of Early Childhood in Ethiopia cont…Childhood in Ethiopia cont…

Metaphors related to discouraging interacting Metaphors related to discouraging interacting with children :with children :

“ “ Zemta Worke New ” Zemta Worke New ” (Remaining quite is (Remaining quite is highly appreciated )highly appreciated )

“ “ Ke lej atchawet yewogahal benchet” Ke lej atchawet yewogahal benchet” [don’t play [don’t play with the a child, if you do he will poke your eyes ; with the a child, if you do he will poke your eyes ; discouraging from playing or interacting with discouraging from playing or interacting with children ] children ]

“ “ Ke Le Yeg wle Lej Hone ” Ke Le Yeg wle Lej Hone ” [ [ one who associates one who associates with child will be considered as a child with child will be considered as a child ]]

““Lej yabokaw le rat aeybekamLej yabokaw le rat aeybekam” [ what a child ” [ what a child does ,does not last long; disclosing the lack of does ,does not last long; disclosing the lack of confidence on the child’s ability or skill ] confidence on the child’s ability or skill ]

Conflicting conceptions of Early Conflicting conceptions of Early Childhood in EthiopiaChildhood in Ethiopia

Metaphors related to differential Metaphors related to differential

treatments:treatments: ““Le Lej shero le awake doroLe Lej shero le awake doro” ” [give a [give a

child an ordinary food ; but a quality for an child an ordinary food ; but a quality for an adult, discriminating the child from dining adult, discriminating the child from dining quality food like that of the adult]quality food like that of the adult]

““Lej ena fit ayeberdewum”Lej ena fit ayeberdewum” ( it does not ( it does not matter if the child does not properly dress, matter if the child does not properly dress, he/she does not feel cold like that of a he/she does not feel cold like that of a human face) human face)

Traditional practices of Early Traditional practices of Early Childhood Care Childhood Care

Useful PracticesUseful Practices

--Breast feeding( lactating), & strong Breast feeding( lactating), & strong emotional attachment/ frequent physical emotional attachment/ frequent physical contact mainly with the mother contact mainly with the mother

-Communal up-bringing, that is, Involvement -Communal up-bringing, that is, Involvement of the extended family, neighbors & the of the extended family, neighbors & the community in child care, character community in child care, character formation & protection from any from of formation & protection from any from of abuse abuse

Traditional practices of Early Traditional practices of Early Childhood Care Childhood Care

Useful practices & resources cont…Useful practices & resources cont…

-“ Gudifecha” Adoption of abandoned-“ Gudifecha” Adoption of abandoned

childrenchildren

- Sibling take-caring (child to child)Sibling take-caring (child to child)

-Story-telling traditions , availability of -Story-telling traditions , availability of different types of stories, games, different types of stories, games, playing materials etc.playing materials etc.

Traditional practices of Early Traditional practices of Early Childhood CareChildhood Care

Harmful PracticesHarmful Practices Milk teeth extraction, tonsillectomy, Milk teeth extraction, tonsillectomy,

female genital mutilation, mutilation of the female genital mutilation, mutilation of the skin in the forehead, eyebrow of their skin in the forehead, eyebrow of their babies etc.babies etc.

Prevalence of corporal punishment at Prevalence of corporal punishment at home and in schools home and in schools

Verbal abuse such as yelling, deploring, Verbal abuse such as yelling, deploring, cursing, terrifying & chastising for shaping cursing, terrifying & chastising for shaping children’s behaviorschildren’s behaviors

Note: Prevalence of derogatory & Note: Prevalence of derogatory & dehumanizing terms addressing CwDs dehumanizing terms addressing CwDs

Traditional practices of Early Traditional practices of Early Childhood Care Childhood Care

Harmful Practices cont…Harmful Practices cont…

-Discouraging children from sitting & -Discouraging children from sitting & discussing with adults discussing with adults

-Prevalence of early marriage, abduction -Prevalence of early marriage, abduction & child labor & child labor

-Limited role of fathers on early child -Limited role of fathers on early child care care

-Large family size & lack of family -Large family size & lack of family planning planning

Conceptions about disabling factors Conceptions about disabling factors & CwDs & CwDs

Wrong deeds & being cursed Wrong deeds & being cursed Possessed by evil spirit Possessed by evil spirit

{subject to neglect & rejection}{subject to neglect & rejection} Unable to learn/underestimation {subject to Unable to learn/underestimation {subject to

charity & dependency}charity & dependency} Hopeless and incompetent {overprotection )Hopeless and incompetent {overprotection )

Note: The negative attitudes have been Note: The negative attitudes have been recognized as more disabling than the recognized as more disabling than the disability per se !!disability per se !!

Early intervention practices to cure Early intervention practices to cure

or offset the impact of disability or offset the impact of disability

Religious Intervention practicesReligious Intervention practices-D-Deep prayer and submitting to readings eep prayer and submitting to readings

of different religious textsof different religious texts,,

-S-Sprinkling prinkling or drinking or drinking of holy waterof holy water,,

-S-Swallowing blessed wallowing blessed food and gelling food and gelling blessed materials “eminet “on the blessed materials “eminet “on the body etc.body etc.

Early intervention practices to cure Early intervention practices to cure or offset the impact of disability or offset the impact of disability

cont…cont…

Secular Intervention practicesSecular Intervention practices

Herbal medicineHerbal medicineAmulet to hang on the NeckAmulet to hang on the Neck Indigenous psychotherapy Indigenous psychotherapy Indigenous physiotherapyIndigenous physiotherapy

Inclusive Education : Roadmap to Inclusive Education : Roadmap to the Education of CwDs in Ethiopiathe Education of CwDs in Ethiopia

Inclusive Education : Roadmap to Inclusive Education : Roadmap to the Education of CwDs in Ethiopiathe Education of CwDs in Ethiopia

CwIDsCwIDs General ClassroomGeneral Classroom

Reflections Reflections

Develop and introduce cost effective Develop and introduce cost effective inclusive ECCE programs that could inclusive ECCE programs that could accommodate the needs of diverse accommodate the needs of diverse learners.learners.

Sensitize, parents, teachers, children & Sensitize, parents, teachers, children & the community about useful and the community about useful and harmful childrearing practices. harmful childrearing practices.

Educate parents & teachers about child Educate parents & teachers about child development, disability and care.development, disability and care.

Reflections Cont…Reflections Cont…

Promote school-parent partnership in Promote school-parent partnership in the prevention, detection, assessment the prevention, detection, assessment & intervention of children with & intervention of children with disabilities.disabilities.

Compile local children stories, methods Compile local children stories, methods

of story-telling, children games & of story-telling, children games & playing materials etc., & cross-fertilize playing materials etc., & cross-fertilize in the preparation of ECCE programs as in the preparation of ECCE programs as teaching -learning materials.teaching -learning materials.

Benshangul –Gemuz /Pawe /Hot and Benshangul –Gemuz /Pawe /Hot and remote Area in Ethiopia ,2011remote Area in Ethiopia ,2011

Thank you !!Thank you !!