Education for children of nomads and other disadvantaged groups

The Government will expand educational provisions for children of nomadic and rural communities and children in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in a bid to ensure equity and participation for all in access to education.

To this end, the Government will:

• Mount/strengthen sensitization and civic education programs among parents of nomadic children/IDPs, local leaders, school teachers and the state leadership on the value of promoting education among nomadic communities.
• Introduce/strengthen targeted scholarship programs and other incentives such as feeding programs for the neediest nomadic children/IDPs.
• Introduce a relevant incentive package to encourage teachers to work in remote rural areas.
• Strengthen representation of nomadic parents in committees that manage education at all levels of the system. (Establishment of “mobile” schools where feasible.)
• Mount/strengthen non-traditional methods of delivering education to nomadic communities/ IDPs including use of radio and satellite broadcasting and pre-recorded lessons/modules.
• Support widening access to secondary education for disadvantaged communities and households, internally displaced segments of the population, girls and the handicapped as a way of promoting social equity and providing life chances for an increasing number of youth.
• Make provision for the needs of children with special education talents and see that these children develop their talents to the fullest.

The Government will also support the participation of nomadic youth, economically disadvantaged youth and youth with special needs in Secondary Education through the establishment of secondary schools in nomadic areas, the provision of sponsorship/bursary schemes for needy students, and through measures designed to promote the integration of students with special needs into mainstream education. These measures would include the development of secondary schools physical facilities with consideration for learners with disabilities and the posting of special training of special education teachers for secondary schools.