Abstract
Discriminatory practices towards women with disabilities are prevalent in many countries. The paper examines major issues relating to the formulation and implementation of special education policy within the context of developing countries. It focuses especially on the experiences of women with disabilities in Pakistan. It is stressed that the variety of disabilities experienced by women is as great as the variety of abilities present in the non-disabled population. Women with disabilities are raille ized in Pakistani society, and their potential for educational advance and for personal and social development is sadly neglected. Inevitably, this neglect is potentially very damaging to their self-esteem, though well-documented research evidence on self-esteem and other psychological variables among disabled women is not readily available. The paper discusses these and related issues, and suggests how women with disabilities can be given appropriate educational opportunities through the medium of non-formal and community based programmes, thus enhancing their role in society and their potential contribution to national and local life.
There are many human right issues in Pakistan, especially where women and disability are concerned. A focus on these would lead to a picture of doom and gloom. It is difficult to present a realistic description of the conditions in Pakistan while maintaining a positive outlook. Yet there is hope for the future, and education is the best tool for enabling women to take charge of their destinies. The present paper focuses on a review of the special education policy in Pakistan and how increased participation of the female population, particularly those with disabilities, can be encouraged.
Background Information on Special Education in Pakistan
The need to educate its disabled population has gained increasing recognition in Pakistan in the last two decades. Interest in the field was aroused by the International Year for Disabled Persons (1981), and by the United Nations Declaration of 1983-92 as the Decade of the Disabled. In the 1980s, the Government of Pakistan undertook a crash programme of expansion of special educational provision, thus improving both the quantity and quality of existing facilities. However, the continuing absence of any form of legislation for the education of children with special educational needs, continues to deny the great majority of these children the right to education.
The Development of Education, and Special Education in Pakistan
Despite an unprecedented increase in primary education the Government has been unable to achieve its target of providing universal primary education. Primary education is even now available to only 60 percent of children (Pakistan Planning Commission 1988). Plans for providing universal free and primary education had to be shelved because of the huge expenditure involved, which the national economy was unable to sustain (Dani 1986). Unfortunately there has been no significant change in this unhappy state of affairs in the 1990s. Thompson (1998) indicates that the drop out rate before completion of primary education is very high, and nearly seven million children remain out of school.
An experience of this kind is not unique to Pakistan. Haddad (1990) cites evidence to show that this situation is found to prevail in other developing nations. Writing on the proceedings of the World Conference on Education for All, he states that the phenomenal expansion of the national educational systems since the 1950s has continually increased the number and proportion of children in school. However, the absolute number of out-of-school children has at the same time increased dramatically.
The responsibility of the Government to educate its handicapped pupils was recognised in the Commission on National Education (Pakistan Ministry of Education 1959). But the proposal to provide education for these children was not made until the Education Policy 1972-1980 (Dani 1986), and in the Fifth Five Year Plan (Pakistan Planning Commission 1978) a modest sum was allocated to special education.
In the 1980s, due to the efforts of the late President Zia-ul-Haq, much greater government involvement was witnessed and increased budgetary provision for special education (though still inadequate) was made. During the Sixth Plan (1983-1988), the social welfare programme concentrated on strengthening existing institutions of social welfare and of special education, both government and non-government. In order to overcome organisational set-backs, a Federal Directorate General of Special Education with provincial counterparts was set up in 1985, and the first National Policy for Rehabilitation of the Disabled was formulated in 1986.
Some of the difficulties experienced in the Sixth National Plan in implementing the National Policy were insufficient budgetary provisions, lack of trained personnel, and shortage of service centres (Pakistan Planning Commission 1988).
The Economic Survey (Pakistan Planning and Development Division 1991-92) states that the major emphasis during that year had been on improving provision, enhancing the performance of the executing agencies, and strengthening and consolidating social welfare and rehabilitative services. (For a more detailed account of special education in Pakistan see Lari 1996a, b).
National Policy for Rehabilitation of the Disabled
The declaration by the United Nations of 1983-1992 as the Decade of the Disabled brought into focus the long existing need to formulate a national strategy to tackle the problems of the disabled and handicapped of all categories and descriptions. The National Policy for Rehabilitation of the Disabled was thus conceived in December 1986 by the Ministry of Health, Special Education and Social Welfare, and this was in fact the first policy on special education in Pakistan.
The National Policy determines the philosophy of special education in Pakistan, and outlines goals in the areas of assessment and intervention for special educational needs, the curriculum in special schools, and teacher training programmes in special education. (See also Lari 1997, 2000).
Educational provision for children with special educational needs is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education in Punjab and Sindh. Interestingly, in Baluchistan and in NWFP this portfolio is held by the Ministry of Women Development, Social Welfare and Special Education.
A review of the 1986 Policy was undertaken in 1988. This review refers to a category-based system of special education in Pakistan. There are five categories of special needs education. The distribution of different disabilities as indicated by the Islamabad/Rawalpindi Survey of 1986 is:
i) mental disability 21%
ii) visual impairment 15%
iii) hearing impairment 9% iv) physical disability 33%
v) multiple disability 19% vi) not classified 3%
vi) not classified 3%
A large number of children with special educational needs are in the ordinary schools of Pakistan, though data indicating the incidence of such pupils in regular classrooms are hard to come by (Lari 1992). A national census was conducted in Pakistan in 1998 that also sought to collect data on the prevalence of disabilities. However, these data are not at present available.
Recent reports indicate that Pakistan's children face poor performance on social indicators, and that their health status continues to be deficient. Poverty keeps millions of working children out of school, and there is a high rate of childhood disabilities. The problems faced by girls are more severe, restricting their access to health care, education and recreation (UNICEF cited by the daily newspaper DAWN April 29 1993). Thompson (1998) reports that the dimensions of the problem facing the Government of Pakistan have not changed in recent years.
The Way Forward: Where do we go from here?
Thompson (1998) recommends that in the short term a working group should be established to develop a set of key indicators for the further development of special education in Pakistan. Improvements in the quality of support and provision for children with special educational needs can then be monitored within the framework of the Social Action Programme. It may be added that it is imperative that gender issues should be adequately addressed. According to the 1981 census (Government of Pakistan) female population comprises over 48 per cent of the total population and the educational and vocational needs of girls must be addressed.
The most recent Policy on Special Education was formulated by the Government of Pakistan in 1999. The National Policy for Special Education (1999) recognises that the process of rehabilitation for many people with disabilities is an on-going one. It stresses also that public attitudes to the disabled need to be changed and the media can play an important role by portraying the disabled in a positive light and highlighting the successes of persons with disabilities. Women must have an adequate representation in such programmes.
The National Policy (1999) also proposes certain fiscal concessions to be made for the disabled as well as providing them with legislative support. These should be implemented without delay and without prejudice to the female population.
It may be concluded that change is slow to take place, but some progress towards meeting the needs of the disabled population in Pakistan does seem to have occurred. Girls of today will be the mothers of tomorrow. It is encouraging to note that some steps, however small are being taken to promote their education.
The Current Situation in Pakistan
Fifty years is a brief period in the life of a country. Pakistan is still struggling to define its identity as a nation. In this brief period Pakistan has military rule for the third time. Though an Islamic state, Pakistan has had liberal policies towards shaping a female identity and can boast of having elected to office the youngest female Prime Minister ever to rule a Muslim country, or perhaps anywhere in the world.
Pakistan has its share of female professionals: artists, writers, educationists, female ministers of education for the Federal Government and for the Province of Sindh, women representatives in the National Council, and a female representative for human rights at the UN. It is heartening to note that some women overcome obstacles that appear to be insurmountable. These women have a strong determination to succeed, they have endurance and perseverance to stick with what they take on board. Self-discipline is very important too. These are qualities that all women can acquire, and many women with varying degrees of disability have the will to succeed. Personal social education should be made a necessary part of the curriculum both in and out of school education.
In Pakistan, women's rights including the right to education, are yet to rise to the same level as in the western world. The same is true of the rights of the disabled. Women are campaigning for equal rights in education and in the work place. If Pakistan has a policy of equal opportunities, then this means safeguarding the rights of the individual, the rights of women, and the rights of the disabled.
Psychologists generally agree that the issue of defining one's identity is far more complicated for women, and women's dream is more complex because of the traditional family/career divide (Lari 1994). Women have to face many barriers in achieving their goals and aspirations. For women with disabilities this task is far more difficult. Family support is therefore essential.
Many women are faced with enduring attitudes of prejudice, not only from the wider community, but often from within their own communities and families. They need a great deal of support and encouragement in crossing these barriers. It is far more difficult to achieve for women who are disadvantaged, do not have an adequate education, and are lacking in family support. For them it is a constant struggle against tradition, prejudice and overt sexism. These women stand to benefit tremendously from support and guidance through government policies and organisations designed to help them. We have a social responsibility to offer personal choice to all women, including those with disabilities.
Education can open up minds and provide opportunities, a task that many NGOs are fulfilling. What is needed is positive discrimination for women through government policies, implemented by both government centres and NGOs alike.
It is clear from the data cited by the Planning and Development Division, Government of Pakistan (1996-97), that the enrolment for females is much lower than for males, though enrolment rates for females have risen since 1983-88. The present government has taken some steps to correct this imbalance. Much greater funds have been allocated for the education of girls but this increase is no where near being sufficient. It is imperative that female education to those above school age should be provided through non-formal and community based programmes. Scattered individual efforts are laudable but these cannot hope to address the enormity of the problem.
To promote access to classes certain practical considerations must be taken into account. Women's personal and domestic responsibilities have to be recognised and accommodated and support is needed where problems in relation to the domestic or the work situation are identified. The timing of the classes is also an important factor. Provision must fit in with family commitments and creche facilities should be made available.
Further questions arise about the nature of female education. Students should be able to negotiate the content of courses to make it relevant to their experiences and requirements. Access courses providing study skills and computer skills are required. Moreover, women's education has to start with a feminist perspective that recognises the value of life experiences, both personal and collective, to facilitate personal growth. The whole area of personal social development is especially important for women with disabilities in order to promote a positive self-concept by alleviating anxiety and improving confidence in themselves. Having a mentor is of great value. Self-development projects for women with mentoring on offer would be of great value (Lari 1994).
These courses should be free of cost, or cost should be kept at a minimum in order to provide access to all women regardless of their socio-economic background. Such courses would be expensive to run if women in outlying areas are to be reached but investments made are in a worthy cause, which makes it justifiable. Lack of funding makes it a vulnerable area. A concerted effort is required.
Thompson (1998) in an overview of the Provision for Special Educational Needs in Pakistan, states that 'It is important that Federal, Provincial and NGO provision in the field of special educational needs establish links and ensure co-ordination and co-operation of activities' (p.21).
The same report indicates that donor agencies, including UNICEF and the World Bank, discussed the possibility of extending the Social Action Programme to include special education and to identify possible priorities. It is interesting to note the consensus view that future initiatives should focus on gender and disability.
Traditional gender roles are breaking down in Pakistan. More and more women are going out to work, even in fields that were previously considered to be male domains. Women are beginning to evolve a new confidence in their work. Even in the villages, women work side by side with men while successfully running their homes. At the same time though women who choose to stay at home are exercising their right of freedom of choice and can still play an important role by building for the future, for our children are our future.
Women in Pakistan are beginning to challenge the status quo for a brighter future. The media can play a responsible role by raising concerns about discrimination, whether on the basis of gender or disability. It will take many years to implement any real change but many women in Pakistan are struggling to pave the way for it. Networking is so important in building for the next generation. The fight against stereotypical roles is on. Female qualities need to be valued, both in the work force and in the home. Women must be allowed to integrate without losing their identity. As we step into the 21st century women hope for an egalitarian society worldwide.
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About the Author:
Chartered Psychologist, Associate Fellow British Psychological
Society
Presently, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, North East Wales
Institute
Previously, Advisor in Special Education, Special Education
Sequence, University of Karachi
Degrees: B.A. Hons. , M.A. (Psychology)
University of Karachi
M.Ed. Ph.D. (Special Education) University of Wales
Cardiff
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