SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES AND DISABILITY

Sir Isaac Newton, a scientist with a disability, developed (among other things) the 3 gravitational laws. We can gear them toward disability studies as well.

Law #1: If the disability issues are not pushed or pulled, they will stay still. If no one is working on the disability issues and getting them in the open and getting other people and policy makers to care about them, nothing will change about the way disability is seen in our society or how it is – or isn’t – accommodated in the school system.

Law #2: Whichever way something is pushed is the way it will go. Therefore, pushing society toward disability recognition and acceptance will eventually bring about the desired result.

Law #3: If an object is pushed or pulled, it will push or pull equally in the opposite direction. Though this law seems somewhat contradictory, it can be applied to the forces that work to push disability issues the wrong direction. If this happens, those who have disabilities and those that care about them will fight just as hard, if not harder, to bring the issues back in the right direction.

References

http://scienceanddisability.wordpress.com/category/gravitational-laws-and-disability/

THINK INCLUSIVELY~~~ ACT INCLUSIVELY ~~~ CREATE AN INCLUSIVE NATION

HAKI ZA ELIMU KWA WATOTO WENYE ULEMAVU

[Hotuba ya Mwl JK Nyerere katika Shule ya Viziwi, Dar es Salaam, 18 Februari, 1974]:

"Leo nimekuja hapa kuweka jiwe la msingi, siyo kutoa hotuba. Kwa hiyo kuna  mambo mawili tu ninayotaka kuyasema tena kwa kifupi sana.

Kwanza, Azimio la Arusha linatamka wazi wazi kwamba Taifa letu limekubali wajibu wa kuwaangalia wananchi wenzetu wasiojiweza: vipofu, viziwi, viwete, na wagonjwa wa akili. Lakini kwa kweli tunazo shughuli nyingi mno hata hatuna nafasi ya kuwashughulikia wale wenzetu wachache ambao kwa bahati mbaya viungo vyao vina vilema. Serikali, na hata TANU, hushindwa kupata muda wa kutosha kuanzisha shughuli za kuwasaidia wasiojiweza ili kuwawezesha kushirikiana na wenzao katika hali ya usawa. Kama uwezo wenyewe mtu ulio nao ni wa kuwasomesha nusu tu ya watoto wote wa Tanzania, basi huna budi kutumia nguvu zako zote za Kiserikali kuwafunza walimu, kutafuta vifaa, na kujenga shule zitakazowatosha hao nusu watakaofaidika kutokana na huduma hizo za kawaida. Huna uwezo wa kufanya zaidi.

Lakini kufanya hivyo maana yake siyo kwamba watoto wengine sasa hawastahili huduma; kwa kweli udhaifu wao unawapa haki zaidi ya msaada wetu. Kwa sababu hiyo sisi viongozi wa TANU na wa Serikali tunafurahi sana tunapoona watanzania, na marafiki wa Tanzania, wanaanzisha mipango ya kuwahudumia watu wa aina hiyo, hasa watoto wadogo. Tunashukuru kupata watu wanaojitolea kuanzisha na kuendesha shule za kuwasaidia vipofu, viwete, na viziwi, nasi tutakuwa tayari kuwaunga mkono kwa furaha na kwa uwezo wote tulio nao.

Chama cha Tanzania cha Kuwasaidia Viziwi ni chama kipya, kimeanzishwa miezi michache tu iliyopita; na sherehe ya leo ni ushahidi wa kwanza wa juhudi zake. Napenda kuwapongeza wanachama wa chama hicho kwa kazi yao waliyokwisha kuifanya, na kuwashukuru wale waliowasaida. Natumaini kwamba wananchi kwa ujumla, na vyama vyao, watafanya kila linalowezekana kuharakisha kazi yao na kuifanya iwe na manufaa zaidi.

Jambo langu la pili linafanana na hilo la kwanza. Wasiojiweza wa nchi hii wanachohitaji sana ni nafasi ya kushiriki kwa ukamilifu na kwa usawa katika mambo ya nchi yao. Kulemaa miguu au mikono maana yake siyo kwamba mtu yule sasa ni mtu nusu. Maana yake tu ni kwamba yako mambo fulani kilema huyu hawezi kuyafanya; na kwa hiyo ziko kazi fulani hawezi kuzifanya, na matumaini fulani, ambayo hawezi kuwa nayo. Lakini yako mambo mengi mengine ambayo angeweza kufanya kama sisi tulio na viungo vyetu kamili tungemsaidia ayafanye. Vivyo hivyo kwa mtu aliye kipofu, au aliye kiziwi.

Watu hao si wapumbavu, wala si magogo, eti kwa sababu tu ya vilema vyao. Wanahitaji msaada wetu kuwawezesha kuvishinda vipingamizi walivyo navyo, na kuwawezesha kuyafanya kwa ukamilifu yale mengine wanayoweza kuyafanya.

Katika shule ya watoto vilema ya Mgulani; katika shule za vipofu za Lushoto, Tabora, na kwingineko; katika shule ya viziwi ya Tabora pamoja na hii (itakapokuwa inafanya kazi) watoto wetu wanafunzwa kuyafanya yale ambayo wanayaweza kuyafanya. Wanafunzwa jinsi ya kujisaidia, wanafunzwa kujitegemea; na wanapata ufundi utakaowawezesha kujitegemea. Jambo hilo linalingana na haki za binadamu; na liko katika mstari wa siasa ya nchi yetu.

Lakini kipofu aliyefunzwa kuendesha mitambo ya simu ofisini anaweza tu kujipatia riziki yake kwa kazi hiyo kama akiajiriwa kuifanya kazi hiyo. Kijana aliye kiwete anaweza tu kuwa karani, au mwendesha-mitambo wa kiwandani, kama atapatiwa nafasi ya kazi huko ofisini au kiwandani wakati atakapoomba. Mtoto anayefunzwa katika shule hii jinsi ya kuzungumza na wenziwe ataweza tu kutumia ujuzi wake kujipatia riziki kama sisi wengine tutajitahidi kufikiria kitu anachoweza kufanya, na kama tutachukua hatua za kutekeleza mawazo hayo. Haifai kuhesabu tu yale mambo ambayo hawezi kuyafanya.

Baadhi ya watoto watakaoingia katika shule hii watapata elimu yao yote katika shule hii, au shule nyingine ya mafunzo maalum. Wengine wataweza, baada ya hapa, kuingia katika shule za kawaida baada ya kujaribiwa na kupewa vifaa vya kuwasaidia kusikia, au baada ya kufunzwa kuelewa neno kwa kutazama midomo. Ni wajibu wetu kuhakikisha kwamba wanapata nafasi ya kuingia katika hizo shule za kawaida, na kuhakikisha kwamba sisi wenyewe na watoto wetu tunawasaidia katika kupambana na matatizo yao ya shida ya kusikia. Huo ndio wajibu wetu kama Watanzania, na kama wajamaa. Vile vile ni wajibu wetu, kama Watanzania na kama wajamaa, kuweka mipango katika nchi yetu itakayowasaidia hawa na vilema wengine wote waweze kushiriki kwa ukamilifu katika maendeleo ya taifa letu. Na yako mambo mengi tunayoweza kuyafanya, bila kutumia fedha au wataalamu ambao hatuna wengi, lakini ambayo hatuyafanyi hivi sasa. Kwa mfano. Sasa hivi tunajenga maofisi ya serikali ambayo huwezi kuingia bila ya kupanda ngazi. Lakini huwezi kupanda ngazi ukiwa unajikokota kwa kigari, na ni vigumu sana kupanda ngazi kwa magongo. Matokeo yake ni kwamba viwete hawawezi kuingia katika benki, au katika ofisi ya bima, au wakati mwingine hata katika ofisi ya TANU au ya Serikali kupeleka shida zao, achilia mbali kufanya kazi katika ofisi hizo. Na hata kama kwa bahati, nafasi ya kuingilia, si ngazi bali ni mteremko mdogo, utaona mlango wenyewe ni mwembamba mno hata kigari cha kiwete hakiwezi kupenya.

Natumaini kwamba wachoraji picha wa majumba wote, na hasa wale wanaotayarisha makao makuu mapya huko Dodoma watakumbuka sana mambo haya. Na endapo watasahau, itafaa sisi wengine tuwakumbushe.

Vitendo vingine vidogo–vidogo vinavyofanana na hivyo vinaweza kufanywa na wananchi kuwasaidia vipofu na viziwi kushiriki katika kujenga Tanzania ya Kijamaa. Maana wanayo haki kutudai nafasi zitakazowawezesha kujitegemea, siyo huruma inayompa sadaka “Yala Maskini.”

Wale wote wanaotoa ama nguvu zao ama fedha kujenga shule hii, na shule nyingine za aina hii za kuwasaidia vilema, wanaweka msingi utakaowafanya watoto wasiojiweza wajitegemee katika siku za mbele. Wao, pamoja na sisi wengine wote, tunapaswa kuindeleza kazi hiyo katika maisha yetu ya kila siku na katika uhusiano wetu na viziwi, vipofu na vilema.

Kwa moyo huo na kwa matumaini hayo nina furaha kuliweka jiwe la msingi la shule hii. Huu ni mwanzo mdogo sana wa kuwasaidia viziwi. Basi na tudhamirie kuikuza kazi hiyo.

Asanteni sana".

"FIKIRI KIJUMUISHI ~~~ TENDA KIJUMUISHI ~~~ JENGA TAIFA SHIRIKISHI"

Je, ulemavu ni laana? Ni mikosi? Au ni dhambi?

Tufundishe nafsi, roho na akili zetu

Awali ya yote, napenda kukushukuru wewe msomaji wa makala hizi, na pia ninapenda na kufurahi sana ninapoona mrejesho wenu wa maoni. Inaonyesha kuwa mnayaona haya kwenye jamii zetu halisi yakitukia.

Sasa hebu tujikite kwenye mada yetu hii “Je, ulemavu ni laana? Au ni mikosi? Au  ni dhambi?

Maana ya ulemavu

Sera ya Taifa ya Maendeleo na Huduma kwa Watu Wenye Ulemavu Tanzania (2004) inafafanua kuwa ulemavu ni hali inayotokana na dosari mwilini au/na akilini ambayo inasababisha mtu kushindwa kutenda mambo ambayo kwa kawaida angetegemewa kuyaweza na hivyo kumletea mtu huyo kizuizi katika utekelezaji wa majukumu yake katika jamii. Kizuizi katika utendaji kinatokana pia na mfumo wa mtizamo wa jamii dhidi ya mtu huyo.

Ulemavu ni neno linalotumika kwa mapana kuainisha maeneo matatu muhimu yafuatayo:

• Hali ya tatizo kadri linavyoonekana (impairment)

• Upungufu wa uwezo wa kutenda/kufanya jambo kwa njia ya kawaida kulingana na hali yake (Disability).

• Kizuizi katika kutenda jambo (handicap) kutokana na hali ya ulemavu  (Disability).

Maana ya mikosi (misfortune)

Ni hali ya kukosa bahati, kukosa kupata mema kwa njia ya imani aliyonayo mtu. Kushindwa kufanikiwa na/au kuandamwa na matukiomabaya ambayo chanzo chake ni laana.

Katika kitabu cha 1Samweli 28: 6; tunaona mfalme Sauli akipatwa na majanga makubwa ya kupigwa na Wafilisti, mkosi ambao ulitokana na dhambi yake ya kiburi mbele za Mungu wake. Imeandikwa hivi katika mstari wa 6:

“Lakini Sauli alipouliza kwa BWANA, BWANA hakumjibu, wala kwa ndoto, wala kwa Urimu, wala kwa manabii”.

Maana ya Laana na Dhambi

Laana ni kukataliwa na wanadamu au Mungu kutokana na kosa lisiloweza kusameheka. Neno Dhambi (mistarget) inamaanisha ni UASI, kukosea lengo au shabaha ya kile ulichotegemea kukitimiza. Umeamriwa kufanya hiki wewe ukafanya kile-hiyo ni dhambi.

Je, ulemavu ni laana? Je, ni mikosi? Ni dhambi?

Mambo ya Walawi 19:14, Biblia imeandikwa hivi:

“Usimlaani kiziwi, wala usitie kwazo mbele ya kipofu, bali umche Mungu wako; mimi ndimi Bwana”.

Maneno ya msingi katika mstari huu:

          Usimlaani, lina maana usimkatae au usimtenge (mtu mwenye ulemavu).
  …wala usitie kikwazo (stumblingblock), maana yake ni kwamba binadamu yeyote asimjengee mazingira magumu ya kuishi binadamu mwenzake mwenye ulemavu.

        …bali umche Mungu wako;

Umche Mungu wako kwa lipi?

Umche Mungu wako kwa uumbaji wa aina yake,na wala usimkosoe wala kumpinga Mungu kwa uumbaji huo.

…mimi ndimi Bwana.

Inamaanisha yeye Mungu ndivyo alivyoamua na wala mtu mwingine asihoji hilo.

Pia katika kitabu cha Kutoka 4:10-17, tunasoma maneno haya:

“Bwana akamwambia, Ni nani aliyekifanya kinywa cha mwanadamu? Au ni nani afanyaye mtu kuwa bubu au kiziwi, au mwenye kuona, au kipofu? Si mimi Bwana?”

Haya maelezo yalitolewa na Mungu wakati nabii Musa alipokuwa akikataa kwenda kuwakomboa wana wa Israel katika nchi ya Misri. Musa alihofia kuwa angeshindwa kuongea mbele za Farao na kwamba huenda na wana wa Israel wasingemsikiliza kwa sababu ya ulemavu wake wa ugumu wa kuongea (speech impairment). Hii ilitokana na uzoefu wake kwenye jamii yake. Yawezekana yalikuwa yanamkuta hayo aliyokuwa akijitetea kwa Mungu.

Katika kitabu cha Injili ya Yohana 9: 2 & 3 (Yohana 9: 2, 3) tunasoma maneno haya:

“Wanafunzi wake wakamwuliza, Rabi, ni yupi aliyetenda dhambi, hata mtu huyu azaliwe kipofu? Yesu akajibu, Huyu hakutenda dhambi, wala wazazi wake; bali kazi za Mungu zidhihirishwe ndani yake”.

Ni swali zuri sana na liko wazi likidokeza mtazamo wa jamii walimoishi kipindi hicho. Wanafunzi wa Yesu hawakuwa na shida ya kujua ULEMAVU ni matokeo ya dhambi au la, kwani tayari walikuwa wanafahamu hivyo kuwa mtu kupata ulemavu ni matokeo ya dhambi. Shida yao kubwa ilikuwa kujua ni nani hasa aliyetenda dhabi kati ya aliyezaliwa kipofu au wazazi waliomzaa huyo kipofu.

Yesu alikuja na majibu yaliyowashangaza, pia  majibu haya yalibadilisha mtazamo wa wanafunzi wake. Majibu ya YESU yalikuwa hivi:

 “Huyu hakutenda dhambi, wala wazazi wake; bali kazi za Mungu zidhihirishwe ndani yake”.

Kwa tafsiri nyingine ya maneno ya Yesu ni kwamba si wazazi au mtoto aliyezaliwa akiwa na ulemavu ni wenye dhambi, bali hayo ni matokeo na makusudi ya uumbaji wa Mungu. “…baki kazi za Mungu zidhihirike (zionekane wazi, zitofautiane na kazi zingine zisizo za ki-Mungu) ndani yake (ndani ya huo uumbaji)”.

Hitimisho

Ulemavu kwa ukweli wake ni kwamba unaleta madhara katika utendaji kazi kwa maisha ya kila siku ya mhusika mwenye ulemavu pamoja na kuleta ugumu wa mitazamo kwa familia yenye mtu mwenye ulemavu. Pia tuweke kwenye fahamu zetu kuwa ulemavu, kwa elimu ya kisayansi husababishwa na vigezo viwili tu ambavyo ni “mazingira na urithi”. Na kwa upande wa imani itokanayo na kitabu kitakatifu kiitwacho “Biblia”, ulemavu umeelezwa kuwa ni sababu za kiuumbaji, na pia tunaambiwa katika uumbaji huo kuna kusudio halisi. Si bahati mbaya wala mikosi, si laana wala dhambi pia.

Watu wenye ulemavu na wasio na ulemavu, wote kwa pamoja tujitambue, tujue kuwa na ulemavu au la ni sehemu ya vionjo vya maisha ya binadamu. Wengine wamepata mafanikio kutokana na misukumo ya ulemavu, na vilevile wapo watu ambao ulemavu ndio umewafanya washindwe kufikia malengo yao katika maisha. Tena tusisahau kuwa wapo watu ambao kutokuwa na ulemavu kumewafanya wakaona mazingira ni rafiki, wakasahau kupambana na mazingira, na hatimaye wakashindwa kufikia malengo yao kimaisha pia.

Hivyo, nionavyo mimi, ulemavu unamfanya mtu kuwa makini na mazingira, humwezesha kuwafahamu marafiki na maadui wa kweli katika maisha. Huweza kumwezesha mhusika kujua asili ya binadamu na utofauti wa binadamu mmoja na mwingine. Hubainisha watu wenye haiba dhaifu dhidi yao walio imaira, hututenganishia kati ya wenye fikra potofu dhidi ya wale wabebao na kutemelea ukweli kwenye katika maisha yao.

 "FIKIRI KIJUMUISHI ~~~ TENDA KIJUMUISHI ~~~ JENGA TAIFA JUMUISHI"

REJEA

BIBLIA TAKATIFU (1952)

Sera ya Taifa ya Maendeleo na Huduma kwa Watu Wenye Ulemavu Tanzania (2004)

Eleven Facts For People To Learn Special Education

 Disability & Education: 

Education about disability, for me, whether is provided in schools, or other media like TV, radio, and newspapers; it should be regarded as important as life itself. It talks to individual, it deals with personal affairs- teaching how human being is, providing the causes, how to pass up risk conditions leading to disability and the possible measures to be taken to diminish the effects of disability.

Human beings experience the world differently, and that, they express things differently as they perceive differently. It is; therefore, better to have a certain experience expressed by experienced person. Definitely, talking about disability is nothing if it is not articulated by people with disability themselves or their family members.

Let people with disabilities and their families express what they feel, suggest the suitable means on how they can live independently, and how they can benefit their societies. Now here comes the task of experts. Their simple task is just to jot down what are expressed by the experienced persons for the educative and decision making purposes.

Sharing Experiences For Present and Future Gains

People, all over around the world are in either of the following states in relation to disability:

First, those who already have disabilities

Second, those who are at risk of developing disabilities and

Third, those who are not born but they may in one way or another develop disability congenitally

Eleven Facts of Learning Special Education

1. It helps people with disabilities adapt their conditions
2. Help families having people with disabilities acquire skills to handle their disabled people
3. Helps individual make body check up for the purpose of identifying disabilities and prevent secondary occurrence of problems
4. Helps people with disabilities lessen the effects of disabilities
5. Helps people have their children early intervened
6. Helps the government plan health services for their people
7. Remind the government of education plans
8.  Helps people get new perspective on disability and people with disabilities
9. Help all people (disabled & non-disabled) get well socialized
10. Reduces risk suicide cases of parents having children with disabilities
11. Reduces divorce rates for couples with a child having disability

THINK INCLUSIVELY ~~~ ACT INCLUSIVELY ~~~ CREATE AN INCLUSIVE NATION

Tanzania Towards a New Generation of an Inclusive Society

Part III: Human Diversities in higher institutions:  

This is the last part of our suggested subject-Human Diversities, the subject to prepare people for inclusive society in Tanzania. Below are suggestions on how this subject should operate under higher institutions and the weigh it should be given at each institution.

EDUCATION PROFESSIONALS

At both grade A and Diploma student teachers, the learners should be prepared to teach a particular subject at their respective levels to which are trained for, and to assist the learners with such special needs of education within the mainstreaming classes.

 Non-Education courses

Other tertiary levels of non-education profession of the same level of education as grade A and Diploma for teachers; the learners should mainly be prepared for this HD as communication means into which general services will be provided. These institutions include those of banks, postal services, technical centers, industries, mining centers and other related institutions.

At both education profession and non-education institution, the learners with special needs are well equipped with the communication means and professional competence.

SEKOMU

The university education

This is the center at which learners are directly prepared for professional tasks. At this level of education, “Human Diversities” as a subject (not just a unit within a course), it should be taught as the general course for all students. This subject at this stage should be considered for all universities. It should be noted that all services that are within the societies are provided by people and needed by people, and that within these societies people with special needs can either be service providers or the service receivers (customer and/ or customer cares). At this level of education, the learners with specified special needs will be well equipped with communication methods and professional competence and the pleasure of belonging to communicative society.

Hon. B. Mkapa, guest of honor at SEKOMU    

Moreover; it must be planned that any person having any profession that is not integrated with special education should not be regarded as having a complete profession/qualification to be employed in Tanzania. The reason behind this disqualification of profession is that, within the society there are diversities among people, and that all people regardless their varying diversities need to be served the same in the society. The legal document should be established to govern                                                                  the general education system in Tanzania.

How to get teachers to conduct those programs ranging from primary schools up to university levels? (You can suggest the best ways from which a good number of teachers can be enumerated).

Five year plan of education with the key theme “Education for an Inclusive Society” and that the first priority for education budget within these five years should be for the task in question. The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania should present the plan to development agencies partners and other stakeholders eagering towards the desired inclusive society.

The Open University of Tanzania, headquarters office  

In connection to the plan, Sebastian Kolowa Memorial University (SEKOMU), the Open University of Tanzania (OUT), Dodoma University (UDOM) and Patandi Teachers’ College should be acknowledged for their efforts to train learners who are skilled with special needs education; and that, these Institutions should be set as the pilot areas for implementing the program                                                                              for “Education for an Inclusive Society”.

SEKOMU students performing Audiology         

 If one considers the procedure and the set mechanisms to bring up the new generation of inclusive society in Tanzania, will automatically come to asses the end results and the desired outcomes. An individual is led to the concept of implication of this plan. This program will have benefits rooted to an individual at national wise and at international ranks. This is because the topics that will be taught in the subject of “Human Diversities” excel a person towards novel doctrines which keep the mind and brain active. The learner will be familiarized and exposed to national and international nature of human beings the same as the Human Anthropological studies do. Further more, an individual is exposed to the forthcoming culture which is to be called “Disability Culture”, the culture leading people to see disability in a new perspective- to consider it as part of human diversities. People with disabilities will be regarded as the sons and daughters of the same parents along those without disabilities.

"THINK INCLUSIVELY ~~~ ACT INCLUSIVELY ~~~ CREATE AN INCLUSIVE NATION"

Tanzania towards a New Generation of an Inclusive society

Part II: System of Education in Tanzania and the New Subject

Before naming our suitable subject for inclusive nation, let us first of all familiarize ourselves with the system of education in Tanzania.

The system of education in Tanzania is based on 2:7:4:2:3+.  The first 2 is the level of pre- primary education (pre-elementary studies) which lasts for two (2) years of learning in school settings. Number 7 stands for primary (elementary) education which ranges from standard one standard seven, totaling to seven (7) years for this stage. Number 4 in this series notifies about four (4) years of ordinary level of education in Tanzania. It starts from form one and it ends to form four, and each stage consumes a year. The next number 2 denotes the advanced level of secondary school whereby a student opts combinations of three academic subjects and one compulsory subject nowadays known as general studies, popularly with its acronym “G.S” for students pursuing art and science subjects, and Basic Applied Mathematics (BAM) for science students who are not majoring in pure mathematics in their combination subjects at this level of education.  Other subjects of this, apart from the compulsory ones, are optional such as those relating to particular religions like Divinity and Islamic Knowledge.

The next level education in Tanzania is of the university level which extends from three (3) years and above. That means, all courses studied at university level must start from three years. There are some courses which consume more than three years, medication (physician) and engineering courses are good examples.

Other tertiary levels that are not included in this system but play a great role in education system in Tanzania are Grade ‘A’ levels for teachers who are preparing to serve as primary school teachers. Diploma in secondary education prepares professional to be secondary level teachers. Other non- education professions such as technical colleges of certificate, nursing institutions, laws related institutions and many others of the same level of courses should also be considered important for the new system of education in relation to inclusive society in Tanzania.

President of Tanzania, Dr. Jakaya Kikwete

The next question; which we, people of this vast nation ask ourselves is; which subject should be placed within the system of education in Tanzania, particularly each level of education and hold the key status of integrating the fallen apart society in terms of inclusion in Tanzania?

In any way that can this subject be suggested, from any source and from any trend of culture; the responsible subject must bear the status of being capable to carter for the needs of people at individual levels, national and international trends levels.

Minister for Education, Dr. Shukuru Kawambwa

The subject is “HUMAN DIVERSITIES” (HD). The notion of human diversities should be understood as human differences in the contexts of abilities (including disability), human races and colors, man (person; male or female) and his complicities and different cultures of human beings. The subject should not be “Human Anthropology” but it should bear the roots of anthropological studies. This subject, as it is suggested earlier, it should be strong in itself in terms of its contents that can touch human learning in holistic way following the systemic learning taxonomies.

The following below are the suggestions on how this subject should be conducted at each level of education in Tanzania.

School children enjoying togetherness

At pre- primary level

The subject should not be taught, because education at that level centers mainly to acquire three skills of reading, writing and counting. So this level should be left free from the subject of “human diversities”.

Inclusive class, disabled and non-disabled learners learning together

Primary level/Elementary level

This is the base at which the subject is introduced for the first time to the learners. The subject should contain several topics, and that at levels of standard I to IV, the subject is to be taught as introduction (example: sign language for deaf people and deaf-blind persons, primarily letters of the alphabets; alphabet letters for visually impaired people in Braille form) and the rest levels at elementary stages, which are standard V to VII, the subject should be conducted comprehensively; and at this level, among other objectives, the learners have to be prepared for national examination for the subject as other subjects do. And the possibilities for this course to be assessed in national examination as separate subject should be considered.

Kilakala Secondary school students

At ordinary level of education

This is the level of Tanzanian education system which comprises forms one to four; this subject should be conducted as compulsory, it should be among the subjects which form the combination before entering advanced level of secondary education. Main topics at this level should mainly be of specific matters such as visual impairment courses, hearing impairment, cognitive disability, deaf-blindness impairment and other type of disabilities. Other topics for this level should be those relating to human anthropology. The main objectives here should be that of intensive understandings of communicative means about people with disabilities and how the world is inhabited by people with diversities.



At advanced level of secondary education

By this stage the subject should maintain its status of being compulsory, and it should be one of combining subjects for those students who have chosen it as among the combination subjects. It should enable learners as one among the qualifications for university education entry. Learners with special needs will be well equipped for the communication means with their co-members of the society and the general understanding of their own diversities.

NB: Don't miss how "Human Diversities" subject will be conducted in tertiary levels of education in Tanzania.

"THINK INCLUSIVELY ~~~ ACT INCLUSIVELY ~~~ CREATE AN INCLUSIVE NATION"

Tanzania Towards a New Generation of an Inclusive Society

PART I: EDUCATION SYSTEM

Comford (1945) mentions Plato (429-347 BCE) as the ancient Greek philosopher who pointed out three important things to be put into consideration for any nation to develop. In his book titled “The Republic”, Plato suggested these elements as education system of the Republic, defense system of the Republic and the strong leadership of the Republic. Within the field of education he proposed the type of curriculum suitable to his Republic of Greek, probably to be the correct lines and lights into which all nations to find the basis of their curriculum.

Plato is quoted articulating the following statements about how education is important to human life and that it should be part and parcel of day- to- day life activities and transactions;

“The object of education is to turn the eye which the soul already possesses to the light. The whole function of education is not to put knowledge into the soul, but to bring out the best things that are latent in the soul, and to do so by directing it to the right objects. The problem of education, then, is to give it the right surrounding (Plato’s Republic, Book vii, 518)”.

From these statements, one notes the key astonished words, holding within them unbreakable truth, the academic oriented logics; “turn the eye…to the light, to bring out the best things that are latent to the soul,….directing it to the right objects…” and the word latent, for sake of these statements stands as the coming forth of the novel messages with novel doctrines in them, tasked to educate the human soul.

Education as the body of knowledge which disciplines the reasoning faculty of human brain, which later constructs the new culture of intellect, is hereby of great ideal. This system of education should clearly state the objectives in it, and that it should thoroughly carter for the needs of the contemporary Tanzanian society and set sustainability mechanisms to enable this innovated system of education satisfy the complicated demands of the future generation.

Bloom (1956); Krathwohl, et al (1964); and Harow (1972); suggest the learning processes that attend effectively the human dominant domains of cognitive, affective, and psychomotor aspect consecutively. The cognitive domain deals with logical ideas, majoring in reasoning capacity of an individual. The affective domain, on the other hand, attends the human emotions such as happiness, hatred attitudes and its related elements. And the psychomotor domain deals with the learning aiming at disciplining the muscle abilities; it sets the readiness of muscle activities. Now, by applying this mode of learning makes an individual being educated holistically.




Don't Miss Part II: The Suitable Subject For "Tanzania Towards a New Generation of an Inclusive Society"

Reference:

Bloom, B. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: Handbook I, Cognitive Domain.

New York. Longman.

Cornford, F. M. (1945). The Republic of Plato. London: Oxford University Press.

Harow, A. (1972). A Taxonomy of the Psychomotor Domain. New York:David Mackay

Company, Inc.

Krathwohl, D. R., Bloom, B. et al (1964). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: Handbook II, Affective Domain. London. Longman Group Ltd.

"Think Inclusively ~~~ Act Inclusively ~~~ Create an Inclusive Nation"