Inclusive Education Training in Côte d’Ivoire
On Saturday 26 February, Childhood Education International completed the second day of an inclusive education training program designed for educators in Côte d’Ivoire. The training program was created in partnership with local organization English and Education for You (EEFY) and is funded by the U.S. Department of State.
The training program, titled “Supporting Inclusive Education in Ivorian Schools: Empowering Teachers and Leaders” is nearing finalization. The program’s primary goal is to enhance inclusive education practices among the educators of Côte D’Ivoire. The trainings have covered topics such as Universal Design for Learning, Education Diplomacy, social and emotional learning, and gender equity. The content is designed to culminate in individual action plans for each educator to apply to their learning settings. Participants also participated in small-group mentoring sessions to discuss successes and challenges they have faced in implementing practices in their schools.
Saturday was the second and final time the selected participants united for an in-person training. The final phase asks participants to put together a booklet of stories to share with their community that details their experiences implementing their action plans to promote inclusive education. The participants will then have the opportunity to share their newfound knowledge and skills with hundreds of other educators in their learning institutions. As a result, thousands of children could potentially benefit from enhanced inclusion practices in the participants’ respective institutions.
Toti Jean-Marc Yalé, CEO and Founder of EEFY, has provided the on-the-ground expertise and network needed to identify, engage, and gather Ivorian educators who are committed to the principles of inclusion. CE International has worked closely with Mr. Yalé to deliver the training content from a distance. The U.S. Department of State made the program possible through funding. Department of State Representative Mark Zimmer, Public Affairs Officer, joined Saturday’s session to communicate their support, importantly noting that “education and development are inextricably linked.”
The inclusive education training program in Côte D’Ivoire is the third such program CE International has conducted in relation to inclusive education practices. Since shifting to an international development model, we have also delivered trainings on inclusive education practices in Singapore and Serbia. This third training program is a prime example of our commitment to providing quality, equitable learning opportunities for all children around the world.