Accessibility of primary education for children with disabilities in Dar es Salaam region

This study endeavoured to investigate accessibility to primary education for diildren with disabilities in Dar es Salaam region. It covered schools which have children with disabilities in each of the three districts namely, llala, Temeke and Kinondoni. Tbe study involved a total of 73 respondents comprising of five categories, nannly children with disabilities who were or were not attending school, teadns, parents/guardians of the disabled pupils and officials from regional and district education offices as well as officials from the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training. Data were collected by the use of questionnaires, interviews and documentary reviews. The study revealed that there were limited resources for the provision of primacy education to children with disabilities in terms of dassrooms, qualified teadlas, teaching/lemng materials and equipment. There is also lack of enough hospitable infrastructure to address distinctive needs of children with disabilities. This made quite a number of children of certain types of disabilities, such as the deaf to lack equal access to primacy education. Some children also faced problems related to poor communication between them and teachers or other pupils in the inclusive schools. Thus, the study recommends to the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT) to increase both physical and human resources necessary to enhance access and equity for children with disabilities in education and facilitate education for all (EFA).