Education in Egypt: Access, Gender, and Disability – Part 3 Disability
One does not have the impression that Egypt is a country that is ideally suited to a person with disabilities. It appears however that deliberate action has been taken on behalf of the government to address matters. Multiple articles talked about the lack of accessibility for people with limited mobility. Public transportation is not suited to the disabled; in many cases (often more rural) there are not ramps or aids to enter transportation and there are not adequate sidewalks to reach transportation if a person needs to use it. People must rely on others to carry them, or if able, attempt to gain permission to purchase a costly personal vehicle (such as a car) that is outfitted for the person’s disability. This authorization is granted in a specific location. In one article, the author noted that the authorizing entity was a hospital. The disabled must undergo a check-up, with the irony being that the hospital itself isn’t accessible for a person with disabilities, and the patient faces the same challenges as when trying to take public forms of transport. It costs $500 EGP (about $75 USD) for the check up and the patient can be refused several times and deemed “unfit to drive” even if already using a family member’s outfitted mode of transportation, as was the case in the article. (Roshdy: 2012)
Another author went so far as to say that, “Many Egyptian families hide their disabled children so that even their neighbors aren’t aware of them”, according to an NGO worker whose focus is improving the mobility of children with disabilities. (McGrath: 2010) Articles like these do not present a hopeful picture of life for the disabled.
With regards to education however, it appears that there has been fairly extensive governmental planning to create an organizational structure that addresses the needs of the disabled. Whether it truly functions, is the more pressing question. Under the Ministry of Education, there is a Department for Special Education that includes divisions for “Visual Education”, “Audio Education”, and “Mental Education”. Within the Ministry of Social Affairs, there is a Department For Social Rehabilitation of the Handicapped. Included in this department are seven divisions: 1) Rehabilitation Bureaus, 2) Rehabilitation Centers, 3) Protected Workshops, 4) Physical Therapy Centers, 5) Substitute Apparatus, 6) Factories, 7) Incubators. (Japan Int’l. Cooperation Agency: 2002)
In the report reviewed, it was noted that the government has very good intentions in organizing to support the disabled, however as in education in general, the reach of its services is limited. NGO’s attempt to fill these gaps in many cases, (Unicef, for example). At the time the data was published, services were only reaching about 10% of the disabled population, but included 165 specialized schools for visually, hearing and mentally impaired and 204 other schools with “at least one or more special classrooms for children with disabilities”. (Japan Int’l. Cooperation Agency: 2002)
On the one hand, it appears that the government is taking very specific measures to address special needs, while the majority of articles found on the subject seem to be critical. It is unknown whether this can be attributed to the fact that the very detailed data reviewed is about ten years old. In the meantime, much has changed in Egyptian society, including an increase in general dissatisfaction at the time of revolution. It appears that educationally, the needs of at least a segment of the disabled population are sufficiently being met. The question remains whether the services are reaching the most needy or poverty stricken.
A table described the scope of service and how they are divided:
Ministry of Health and Population
(The table began with the following statement:)
•No specific section or department is responsible for the planning and managing the disability-related
services.
• This Ministry is responsible for the following services and items:
• Eliminating the causes of disabilities
• Early detection and treatment through necessary check ups, operations and medical rehabilitation
• Participation in the planning and preparation of medical rehabilitation programs
• Vaccinations and periodic check-ups
• Therapeutic and rehabilitative services
Ministry of Education
• The ministerial resolution No. 154 decided that children with disabilities should join special
education schools and classrooms.
• Children with disabilities include children with visual disabilities, visual weaknesses, hearing
disabilities, mental disabilities, and those whose heath conditions require hospital care.
• The Ministry is responsible for special education schools and classrooms, and the promotion of
special education.
Ministry of Social Affairs
This Ministry prepares policies to care for persons with disabilities, and issues licenses to non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), which provide rehabilitation services, physical therapy, intellectual education, and
other social services for persons with disabilities
(all above info: Japan Int’l. Cooperation Agency: 2002)
One can see that time and attention are devoted to matters of disability; it is a question of whether efforts are actually effective in implementation or if they possibly could be in the current socio-political climate. The Egyptian people have voiced through revolution that are many areas of the government and life that require careful review, conversation, and contemplation. It would serve the nation to streamline services for effectiveness and economic benefit, while purging corruption.
We can safely conclude that the same is true for education in general in Egypt.