A school journey opening doors to education for children with special needs

DAR ES SALAAM: FOR some children, starting school does not immediately mean that their learning needs will be understood.

A child may require specialised teaching, closer guidance or additional support to participate fully in classroom activities, yet accessing the right assessment and assistance can remain difficult when services are limited.

In Tanzania, the shortage of Educational Support, Resource and Assessment Centres (ESRACs) raises questions about how quickly children with special educational needs are identified and how effectively schools can respond to them.

For a child with a disability, getting a place in school is only the beginning of the journey.

Having teachers who understand their needs, an environment that supports their learning and the opportunity to participate alongside other children can make the difference between simply attending school and receiving a meaningful education.

Yet providing such an environment requires more than opening classroom doors.

It demands specialised support, adequate staffing, appropriate learning strategies and financial resources requirements that can present significant challenges for schools seeking to make education inclusive.

In Tanzania, figures from the 2024 education statistics on pre-primary pupils with disabilities recorded 7,323 such pupils in government and non-government schools nationwide.

Dar es Salaam accounted for 187 pupils, including 143 enrolled in government schools.

These figures offer a glimpse into the situation at pre-primary level, although they do not represent all children with disabilities across other levels of education or establish how many are receiving specialised support.

Beyond the numbers lies a broader question: how can schools ensure that children with different learning needs have opportunities to learn, participate and develop their abilities without being excluded because of their disabilities?

At Josephian Schools, that question has shaped a journey that, according to its Director of the School Mrs Christa Pendo Rweyemamu began with one child and gradually developed into a dedicated effort to support learners with diverse needs.

An institution whose journey towards supporting children with special educational needs began with a vision of providing education like any other school, gradually evolved into something more inclusive.

Speaking about the school’s history, Director explains that Josephian Schools was established in 1998. Initially, the school operated with the ordinary goal of providing education.

However, its direction began to change when it admitted its first child with special educational needs.

According to Mrs Rweyemamu, other children with different needs gradually joined the school. Rather than separating them because of their challenges, the school sought to create an environment where they could learn alongside other pupils.

“The number of children receiving this support eventually grew to 15, prompting the school to continue developing its approach despite the challenges involved,” she said.

Mrs Rweyemamu says that in 2022, the school obtained formal registration for its special education services, marking an important milestone in the development of the programme.

She added that, “The decision to accommodate these children was not simply about increasing enrolment. It was about recognising that a child’s educational opportunities should not automatically be limited by their disability,”

She highlighted that, the school’s approach centres on bringing children together in the learning environment while providing additional assistance according to their individual needs.

ALSO READ: Do parents and community know about ESRAC, support children with Special needs?

Mrs Rweyemamu also says she takes pride in the school’s pioneering role, describing Josephian Schools as the first private school to offer this kind of service to children with special educational needs.

This claim reflects her account of the institution’s history and would require independent confirmation before being presented as an established national fact.

She continued saying that, “To help address some of the financial demands associated with its work, Josephian Schools has undertaken various projects, including an initiative called Tuwape Nafasi, which has helped facilitate some of the costs involved.”

“With special educational needs because its team is not large enough to support a greater number. The difficult balance between expanding access and maintaining the quality of support offered to each learner,” she explained.

She elaborated that, “Increasing enrolment without sufficient teachers, appropriate expertise and the necessary resources could place pressure on the very system designed to help children. Conversely, keeping numbers low means that other families seeking similar services may have limited opportunities to access them,”

The figures recorded in the 2024 pre-primary education statistics provide some context for this discussion.

Tanzania recorded 7,323 pupils with disabilities in government and nongovernment pre-primary schools, while Dar es Salaam accounted for 187 of those pupils.

The statistics are limited to pre-primary education and cannot be used to determine the total number of children with disabilities in Tanzania, the number excluded from school or the availability of specialised educational services.

Similarly, the figures do not establish the number of ESRAC centres in Dar es Salaam or the number of private schools providing comparable services.

Nevertheless, they underline the importance of examining how children with disabilities are accommodated within the education system and whether schools have the capacity to respond to their different needs.

The National Inclusive Education Strategy Implementation Guidelines 2022–2026, prepared by the President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), provide a policy framework for implementing inclusive education.

The guidelines emphasise the importance of an inclusive learning environment that respects the rights of all learners, including those with special educational needs.

To his part, Director of finance of the School Deogratias Rweyemamu said that providing education and support to children with special educational needs requires commitment, patience and adequate resources, noting that every child deserves an opportunity to learn and develop according to their abilities.

He explained that supporting these children involves more than enrolling them in school, as teachers must understand their individual needs and provide appropriate guidance to help them participate in learning activities.

He added that, “This requires trained personnel, suitable learning materials and an environment that accommodates children with different abilities,”

He further emphasised that, the importance of early identification, saying that understanding a child’s needs at an early stage can help teachers and parents determine the most appropriate educational support.

He noted that services such as ESRAC are important because they can help identify learning difficulties and guide families towards suitable interventions.

However, he observed that providing specialised support can be expensive, particularly when schools need additional teachers, learning resources and individual assistance for learners.

He therefore called on the government, education stakeholders and development partners to strengthen support for institutions serving children with special educational needs.

“Children with special educational needs should not be denied opportunities because of their disabilities. With the right support, guidance and learning environment, they can develop their abilities and participate meaningfully in society,” he said.

The Head of ESRAC at Josephian Schools, Atubariki Mfingwa, she emphasised the importance of early identification in ensuring that children with special needs receive appropriate support at the right time.

She explained that identifying developmental and learning difficulties early enables parents, teachers and specialists to understand each child’s needs and take the necessary steps to support their growth and education.

Mfingwa noted that some children begin school without their parents fully understanding the challenges they face, which may delay access to appropriate interventions.

She stressed the need to raise awareness among parents and communities so that developmental concerns are recognised early rather than being overlooked or misunderstood.

She further highlighted the importance of collaboration between schools, parents and health professionals in ensuring that children receive proper assessment, guidance and educational support.

According to her, early identification is not simply about recognising a child’s difficulties, but also about understanding their abilities and finding suitable ways to help them learn and develop.

She called for greater awareness and access to specialised services to ensure that children with diverse needs are not left behind in the education system.

For Josephian Schools, the journey that began in 1998 has grown from accommodating just one child with special needs into a broader commitment to supporting learners with diverse educational needs.

Over the years, the school has continued to create opportunities for children who require specialised attention, helping them access education in an environment that recognises their individual abilities and learning challenges.

Through its approach, Josephian Schools demonstrates how early identification, parental involvement and appropriate educational support can help children with special needs develop their potential and participate more fully in society.

Its experience also highlights the importance of schools taking an active role in identifying children who may need additional support and ensuring that their educational needs are addressed as early as possible.