The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Montenegro presented a story about the challenges faced by people with disabilities on the way to realizing a basic human right - the right to education.
Sofija Ivanović, a talented student of the Podgorica Gymnasium, and Nikola Zekić, a master's in ethnomusicology, shared their experience, which shows that the issue of realizing this right is still a challenge for many generations of people with disabilities.
The story "Accessibility of education: Challenges of persons with disabilities in the fight for basic rights" is transmitted in its entirety:
The Montenegrin education system, despite the introduced inclusive education, does not provide everyone with equal opportunities for education. Sofija Ivanović, a talented student in the first grade of the Podgorica Gymnasium, and Nikola Zekić, a master's in ethnomusicology, point out that the right to education is a basic human right. However, their experience shows that the issue of realizing this right is still a challenge for many generations of people with disabilities.
"They told me I couldn't paint and wondered how a visually impaired person could paint. I denied them and showed that I could. I can do much more than that," says Sofia.
Montenegro ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2009, thereby committing to ensuring access to education and preventing discrimination based on disability.
"Unfortunately, an incorrect opinion is widespread in Montenegro - that activists and anyone who sticks out is looking for something more, something beyond the people, some special treatment. And we, in fact, just want to realize our basic rights, and the right to education is one of them," says Nikola.
Inclusion implies the complete inclusion of people with disabilities in all spheres of social life, and education certainly belongs to one of them. The lack of accessible literature is one of the obstacles on the way to realizing this basic human right, because it makes it difficult to be independent in accessing textbooks and other educational material. Faced with the lack of textbooks in Braille during the educational process, both Sofija and Nikola often rely on the help of their parents and teachers for the translation and preparation of materials for the press.
"When I was starting to learn to play the piano, most of the books were not accessible to me in Braille. I had to find my way, and when it came to the books that I didn't have from the piano, the teacher dictated the notes to me, I wrote them down and learned that way," says Nikola.
He believed, he says, that the generations after him would not have to cope as much as he did. However, when he was hired as Sofia's teaching assistant, he realized with disappointment that Sofia, after so many years, was facing the same problems.
"I learned notes by having the teacher tell me the appropriate fingering and notes in class, and right after the lessons at the Music School, I would go home to practice the necessary material, so that I wouldn't forget what I learned," Sofija says.
Initiatives such as the multimedia edition of the printed book (DAISY textbook) facilitate the accessibility of the material, but are still limited to a part of the subjects only for primary school, not providing an adequate choice for quality education. On the other hand, there is no Braille literature at the faculties, which significantly complicates the educational process for students with visual impairments.
Montenegro is in the process of ratifying the Marrakesh Agreement, which represents a step towards facilitating access to printed works for people with visual impairments in accessible formats such as Braille, audio books and enlarged fonts. The implementation of this agreement will enable the exchange of literature in adapted formats between countries, as well as its production in the signatory country.
Assistant support during the education process is extremely important for people with disabilities. The role of teaching assistants is primarily reflected in technical assistance in terms of providing access to education and educational achievement. They are expected to help in accessing the school, the classroom and the teaching process, which includes writing, counting, handling utensils, performing graphomotor actions or practicing physical exercises. However, the experiences of people with disabilities indicate that a wider range of activities of assistants is needed.
On the other hand, the insufficient number of assistants, as well as their insufficient training, limit the effectiveness of this service in practice. Laws in the field of primary and secondary education provide for the possibility of teaching assistants, while this issue is not legally regulated in the area of higher education. As a result, many people with disabilities decide not to continue their education, drop out of college, and face difficulties in achieving their educational and career goals.
During education, it often happens that parents take on the role of assistants, further increasing the cost of living. That's how Nikola's and Sofia's parents translated and printed textbooks for them. In addition, Sofia's parents made or procured from abroad numerous didactic aids so that she could more easily master mathematics, chemistry or physics. In elementary school, Nikola's teacher embroidered to familiarize them with coordinate systems, and explained fractions with the help of baklava. However, there are not many such enthusiasts among teachers, so the biggest burden is still on the parents.
"In terms of education, in the early grades, apart from a Braille machine, the only things needed are enthusiasm, love and a little creativity. Everyone can find that in themselves. If you don't have any material, it's enough to take paper, a regular pencil that's been sharpened, poke out what you need so that the child can feel on the other side," says Sofia's mom, Snežana.
According to the available data, people with disabilities most often enroll in secondary vocational courses. They decide to do this because of the lack of adequate support and the possibility of choosing those educational orientations that provide a broader professional perspective. This indicates the need for serious efforts to fully establish a policy of inclusive education in secondary education. When it comes to higher education, the situation is further complicated by the fact that the law does not regulate the issue of teaching assistants.
Nikola also spent part of his schooling in the United States of America, where, as he says, he experienced what it's like to be part of an educational system that provides equal conditions for education to everyone, regardless of their personal characteristics.
"Comparing America and Montenegro in terms of education is like comparing two landscapes of two different planets, say Mars and Mercury. You get what you're looking for there and the education is truly individualized. Because no two visually impaired individuals always have the same needs. There is a professional and educated staff, a legal framework, and not just the goodwill of enthusiasts. There are also consequences if someone does not respect these laws, something called personal responsibility," says Nikola.
Sofija, a student in the first grade of the Podgorica Gymnasium, says that the opportunities for affordable education are extremely important to her, because they open the door to the realization of her rights, goals and plans for the future.
"My parents taught me that the sky is the limit and I was raised to be open-minded. Through education, first of all at home, and then at school, I discovered things that I like to do and in which I could find myself later, when it's time to choose my vocation in life," says Sofija, who plays the piano exceptionally well, sings, speaks French language and wins numerous awards and diplomas.
Nikola is also clear that there is no giving up. He believes that one should believe in a better tomorrow, and in the meantime not sit idly by, but make the best of what they currently have.
"Through our daily efforts and actions, we can 'instill' in people's heads that we are neither victims, nor heroes, nor heroes, but just people who want to live their lives," concludes Nikola.
Education for people with disabilities in Montenegro is a key step towards building an inclusive society in which every individual has the opportunity to realize their full potential. Significant progress in providing the conditions for this will be achieved through the implementation of the structural reform of the disability assessment system.
The new disability assessment system will be based on the human rights model, which in practice will mean that the disability assessment process will be aimed at identifying the obstacles that people with disabilities face, and providing support to overcome them, with the aim of creating opportunities for their independent life in to the community.
The story was written within the project "Reform of the Disability Assessment System", which is being implemented by UNDP and the Government of Montenegro with the financial support of the European Union, with the support of civil society organizations.
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