Acting for an
inclusive education

For Action Education, quality education is only achieved if it offers the same learning opportunities to everyone, without discrimination. Our association therefore campaigns for inclusive education that considers all learners, with their individual needs and abilities, and eliminates all barriers to learning. obstacles that could limit their participation and success.

Inclusive education: definition and challenges

 Inclusive education refers to an education system that guarantees every individual, whatever their specific needs, abilities or background, an equal access to quality education. It relies on a transformation of the entire education system to prevent discrimination and adapt learning environments, rather than adding isolated corrective measures.

In concrete terms, a inclusive learning environment is based on several levers: 

• public policies and disaggregated data to monitor progress; ; 
• accessible programmes and assessments; ; 
• teachers trained in differentiated teaching methods and teamwork; ; 
• attention to the language of instruction, assistive technologies, physical accessibility (transport and buildings); ; 
• the involvement of families and communities. 

This approach recognises that all children can learn and that each has unique learning needs and rhythms.

For Action Education, this translates into proven approaches: co-construction with communities, partnerships with educational authorities, participatory diagnostics, catch-up and bridging programmes, psychosocial support, and the dissemination of approaches such as multilingual pedagogy.

However, despite international commitments, this vision of a school for all remains an ideal that is far from being achieved.

Legal and political reference point: Inclusion is enshrined in the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education (1960), SDG 4 (Education 2030) and the Cali Commitment (2019), which calls for accelerating equity and inclusion «from pre-school to lifelong learning» by involving marginalised groups and civil society. 

Inclusion: far from being a reality at school

Around the world, 272 million children, adolescents and young people are excluded from the education system (UNESCO). Certain population groups are more exposed to multiple forms of exclusion:

• Disability : Disabled children are 49 % more likely to never attend school than their non-disabled peers (UNESCO, 2020).
• Poverty Families living below the poverty line often cannot afford to send their children to school.
• Type Girls, particularly in rural areas and patriarchal societies, continue to be deprived of education.
• Ethnic and linguistic origin Ethnic minorities and speakers of non-official languages are generally marginalised.

Faced with such a situation school exclusion, In September 2015, the 193 Member States of the United Nations committed to building a truly inclusive education system by 2030, where everyone could receive a minimum of 12 years of free education without discrimination. Unfortunately, inequalities and discrimination have continued to intensify, particularly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hit the most vulnerable and marginalised hardest. Nearly 24 million more children, including 11 million girls, are now at risk of dropping out of school.

More than ever, the urgency of build a truly inclusive education system and resilient environment where every learner would be treated with dignity and could learn without barriers is needed.

The impact of inclusive education on communities

Inclusive education benefits society as a whole. It :

• Reduces social inequalities by offering equal opportunities to all.
• Promotes economic growth thanks to a better-trained workforce.
• Encourages people to live together by reinforcing tolerance and respect for differences.

The evidence is now well documented: educational inaction is costly to our societies, whereas inclusive systems enable public investment to be directed towards the most effective levers (teachers, appropriate languages of instruction, psychosocial support, educational continuity).

Goals for 2030: towards a school for all

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted in 2015 by the United Nations, place inclusive education at the heart of priorities. Goal 4 aims to ensure quality, free and equitable education for all by 2030. Achieving this target requires expanding and improving infrastructure, training and supporting teachers, eliminating gender inequalities and making inclusion the norm. 

Promoting bilingual education for ethnic minorities

Nearly 85% of children from Cambodian ethnic minorities do not speak Khmer, the official language of instruction. Action Education has set up bilingual education programmes where pupils begin their learning in their mother tongue before gradually moving on to Khmer. This approach reduces school dropout rates and improves results in reading and mathematics. It also responds to an international recommendation: to respect linguistic diversity in order to strengthen inclusion and social cohesion.

Combating gender inequality in Burkina Faso

In certain regions of Burkina Faso, patriarchal traditions, socio-cultural barriers, early marriages and economic insecurity are hindering girls' education. In collaboration with local communities, we conduct awareness campaigns and develop infrastructure to encourage girls to go to school.

Between 2021 and 2024, the various phases of the programme have enabled hundreds of girls to return to school, with the opening of new centres and the necessary psychosocial support. Our teams are also working on menstrual hygiene management to reduce absenteeism and prevent dropouts in secondary school.

How can you support our initiatives towards a more inclusive education?

The road to truly inclusive education is still a long one. Yet every step forward, no matter how small, helps to transform lives and build a world where everyone can learn and grow without discrimination.

With coordinated action by governments, international organisations and associations such as Action Educationand citizens from all over the world, the objective of an school for all can become a reality. Together, let's rise to this challenge and build a future where every child, regardless of disability, gender, origin or language, can access their fundamental right to education.

By joining Action Education, you are contributing to making inclusive education accessible to those who need it most. 

Here is how you can take action:

• Make a donation : Every contribution, large or small, funds concrete projects such as mobile libraries, bilingual education or programmes for girls.

• Become a volunteer Join our teams and play a direct part in our actions in the field or in raising awareness.

• Sharing our initiatives Talk about our projects around you or on your social networks to raise as many people's awareness as possible.

In summary: 

What is inclusive education?
A systemic approach that ensures access, participation and success for all learners, respecting diversity and eliminating discrimination.

How big is the challenge today?
Approximately 272 million children/young people are out of school; children with disabilities are 2.5 times more likely never to attend school.

Why is the language of instruction so important?
Because 40 per cent of people do not learn in a language they understand; this affects more than 250 million learners.

How does Action Education work?
Through local and systemic solutions: libraries and library boats in Cambodia, bilingual education, learning centres for migrant children in India, school mediation in Romania.