The Right to an Inclusive Education. Conceptual Transition, Practices Transformation and Evaluation Challenges

January 07, 2019 to January 08, 2019

Manuel Miguéns, EUNEC president, attended this event. Becoming a major lever in transforming education systems, inclusive education is a process aiming at increasing participation and reducing the exclusion of marginalized and vulnerable children, by responding effectively to the needs of all students. Inclusive education’s aim is to ensure equal rights and chances in terms of education. In this matter, it joins the orientations of the « Education to All » movement, founded on the fundamental principles of non-discrimination, equal opportunities, universal access and solidarity.

By ratifying the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1993, Morocco recognizes the right to Education for all children, especially, those with disabilities (articles 23, 28, 29). Simultaneously, the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2009, enhances its engagement for this right at all education levels, from preschool to university, including life-long training (article 24).
Along with this, and in consistency with all these commitments, the Moroccan Constitution of July, 1st 2011, states clearly persons with disabilities rights and liberties, which involves, at the educational level, the implementation of an inclusive education system.
Four years later, the Higher Council for Education, Training and Scientific Research, fits in this same orientation by suggesting the three pillars of the Reform Strategic Vision 2015-2030, published by the Higher Council for Education, Training and Scientific Research, (equity and equal opportunity, quality for all and promoting the individual and the society). Therefore, inclusive education is now a major challenge in Morocco.
In order to support these orientations, and remain in consistency with the Strategic Vision fourth lever in particular, the National Authority of Evaluation at the Higher Council for Education, Training and Scientific Research, organizes, in collaboration with UNICEF, an international seminar on «the Right to an Inclusive Education: Conceptual Transition, Practices Transformation and Evaluation Challenges » on January, 7th & 8th 2019 at the Council in Rabat.
Various issues underline the organization of this seminar: what are the models and the mechanisms applied for educating children with disabilities as a response to policy willing and to the engagements taken in terms of inclusive education ?
What type of coordination should we apply to relevant actors (at the regional, national and international levels) to allow the building of a shared vision of the situation, to identify main challenges in order to ensure a work together?
How do politics and practices, in terms of evaluation, facilitate and guide teachings and learning in inclusive schools?
Therefore, with combining the participation of international and Moroccan experts in the field of inclusive education, one of the major objectives of this seminar is not only to generate awareness regarding challenges to be met, in Morocco and elsewhere, in favour of schooling children with disabilities, but also to identify current trends as well as real perspectives in inclusive education.
This seminar is part of the application of the Strategic Vision 2015-2030 which made equity one of the main pillars of the educational reform in Morocco. It will provide to the numerous actors of the educational community important information as regard to politics, participating countries’ conceptions and practices, without, however, judging the different systems.