In most countries in the developing world the promotion of the inclusion of children with visual impairment in local schools reflects a practical necessity and not a policy choice. For most of these children, the local school represents their only chance of receiving any education – all other considerations aside there are nowhere near enough places in specialist schools to cater for the huge numbers currently outside education.
To a child with no access to education, the debate about whether it is best provided in special or mainstream schools must seem like a nonsensical sideshow.
We're attending the conference in Miami on 6-14 March to share our expertise, engage with the education community and explore how we can transform inclusive education.
Collaborating with organisations of people with disabilities (OPDs) on our inclusive education projects has earned the Sightsavers-led Inclusive Futures consortium a Zero Project Award in 2024.
As learners with disabilities are disproportionately affected by global crises such as climate change, we're urging governments to build more resilient education systems for everyone.