ADPP Mozambique was awarded the “Innovative Practice 2020 on Inclusive Education and ICT” award by the international organization called Zero Project with our “Inclusive Education Project”, in partnership with Light For the World and support from the Austrian Development Cooperation.
The Inclusive Education Project implemented by ADPP Mozambique is on a list of 75 innovative practices and 11 award-winning innovative policies from 56 countries that support people with disabilities in the education sector. These projects cover a variety of topics, including assistive technology in schools and universities, inclusive education systems in low and middle income countries, early childhood and preschool programs, legal and rights-based approaches to inclusive education, programs inclusive education in museums and cultural institutions and others.
ADPP Mozambique’s Inclusive Education project started with the inclusion of visually impaired people in ADPP Mozambique’s Teacher Training College (TTC) in Sofala, who later became role models in their communities.
At the same time, TTC gained experience in innovative education and started working with coaches, students and the school community to promote the inclusion of children with disabilities. Primary school teachers are now trained on disability issues, allowing them to work with children with and without disabilities. ADPP Mozambique and Light for the World are working together to transform Teacher Training Colleges in rural areas into knowledge centers in Inclusive Education.
Starting with two TTCs in the provinces of Sofala and Manica, ADPP Mozambique acts as an implementing partner, while Light for the World acts as the main donor, in addition to providing knowledge in Inclusive Education through an international consultant. Since the first specialization center was established in 2017, 200 new teachers are trained in Inclusive Education annually.
It should be noted that in 2019, the ADPP Mozambique Inclusive Education Project worked with a total of 1,174 students with special needs.