Khaberni - The Umm Ayman Comprehensive Secondary School for Girls organized the "Making a Difference Without Discrimination" symposium to display success stories of integrating students with disabilities into education, with the presence of the students' guardians, educational and media representatives.
The symposium included a number of artistic segments and educational videos that illustrated success stories and explained the rationale, values, and principles behind inclusive education, as well as experiences of the students and their families.
Dr. Salama Al-Ajalin, the Director of Educational Affairs at the Directorate of Education for Madaba District, clarified that Jordan is among the first countries in the region that have given significant attention to disability issues. He pointed out that Jordan has participated in signing international conventions on the rights of persons with disabilities, and he noted that the national strategy for inclusive education serves as a roadmap to support individuals with disabilities, integrate them into society, and establish a culture committed to educating all students, including those with disabilities in mainstream schools.
He affirmed that inclusive education is concerned with developing educational outcomes, reducing tendencies and behaviors that reflect discrimination, focusing on the health and well-being of all learners, and ensuring accessibility and the right to education for all students, with a focus on classroom management, and enabling basic environmental, management, education, learning, and assessment practices to support students with disabilities.
Dr. Ola Abul Ghanam, the Director of Financial and Administrative Affairs, pointed out that inclusive education aims to increase the enrollment rate among students with disabilities, provide diagnostic tools and standardized psychological and educational assessments, provide transportation for students with disabilities, and establish an educational environment that is friendly and enabling for all students.
She referred to the formation of a multidisciplinary team dedicated to students to provide occupational therapy, visual and auditory rehabilitation, and speech therapy, encourage the acceptance of individuals with disabilities, increase social interaction opportunities in school, and enhance their self-confidence and modify societal attitudes towards people with disabilities.
In turn, the school principal, Samar Jamal Al-Ghunaimat, welcomed the attendees and stated that integrating students with disabilities with their peers is not just an initiative being implemented, but a culture being built in the hearts before the classrooms. She added in a video explaining how her school and its administrative and teaching team have managed to integrate students with disabilities among their peers. Al-Ghunaimat highlighted that the purpose of the symposium is to highlight success stories in inclusive education, raise awareness about the importance of integrating students with disabilities into education, and build positive attitudes towards the inclusion of students with disabilities in education.
