Teachers need accessible materials
Nadia named mathematics as her favourite subject and had joined a winning team in a 2023 inter-school competition. Deaf mathematics teacher Marcos Miguel Jose de Barros highlighted shortages of visual teaching aids and interpreters between sign language and Portuguese. These gaps limited opportunities for deaf and hearing pupils to learn together. [1]
AGRICE works with families
Fatumata learned in a class with blind and sighted children. School director Elisio Mario Gomes described missing desks and the outreach work of AGRICE, the national organisation supporting blind people. UNICEF’s Lígia Baldé called for accessible schools, trained teachers and changes in community attitudes. The government approved its first inclusive education strategy in 2023, supported by UNICEF and Humanity & Inclusion. [2]
School gardens support participation
Food provision formed another part of school support. WFP’s 2023 country report recorded a garden pilot launched in May at two schools attended by children with disabilities. The fruit and vegetables were intended to diversify school meals and support health and nutrition programmes. [3]