Introduction

Historically, in the 1940s and 1970s, it was notable that segregation was a present factor in the international education systems, where only students without disabilities had the pleasure of attending public schools, whereas students with disabilities or learning difficulties were not given the required attention and were placed in special schools. 

Although this situation may not be the same today, especially because, nowadays, children are more and more protected by human rights and strict efforts have been made to avoid, mitigate, and eliminate discriminatory practices, segregation has always caused great dissatisfaction among individuals with disabilities and their families, as well as created great disorder within the whole society. 

Integration vs Inclusion

On the one hand, integration differs from inclusion to the extent that it refers to the right to education for all children with disabilities, and specific schools are established to give special attention to these children. 

On the other hand, inclusion is related to practices and experiences carried out by leaders and teachers in association with local communities, with the intent to ensure that everyone has access to quality education and that their participation and contribution are valid. 

Inclusive Policies and Practices in Mozambique

Firstly, it should be noted that community stakeholders, including leaders, teachers, and other relevant individuals in general, have a strong role in promoting inclusive education. 

In this regard, the Mozambican government has made great progress in terms of recognition and investment in special education. After national independence, in 1975, there were four private special schools for people with impairments in hearing and/or mental retardation. From 1980-1990, integrated teaching was used, where students with impairment in vision attended regular schools and were guided by non-specialized teachers. 

Later on, in 1993, a Strategic Education Plan was prepared and came into force to promote diversity and equality by expanding inclusive education for all children. Subsequently, from 1998–2003, the Ministry of Education and Human Development (MINEDH), in association with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), developed the Inclusive Education Pilot Project, which was allocated in most provinces of the country. 

Currently, there are nearly a hundred thousand students with Special Educational Needs attending primary, secondary, and tertiary Education, which is a matter of great importance. Furthermore, as yet, in terms of inclusive education, the Department of Special Education of the MINEDH promotes the right to education to all children, youth, and adults, jointly with those with disabilities and/or learning difficulties who require special attention, by emphasizing that everyone, regardless of their differences or impairments, can attend regular schools, instead of being segregated in special schools. 

Moreover, the MINEDH in collaboration with the non-governmental organization Save the Children–Mozambique developed a project regarding Inclusive Education and Child Protection that has been implemented all over the country, which aims at ensuring that more than seven thousand children with disabilities have access to the national system of education and are effectively protected against violence, sexual abuse and discrimination. 

In this regard, the policies on special education proclaim that: 

1. no children shall be rejected to attend any school; 
2. schools and their staff must be ready, prepared, disposed, and open to receive students regardless of their conditions and teach them national curriculum subjects; 
3. children with disabilities must be guided, respected, and protected; 
4. students with special needs must be integrated into regular schools without discrimination or segregation; 
5. leaders must invest in infrastructures and availability of resources and, most importantly, recruit qualified professionals capable of responding to students with special educational needs; 
6. educational institutions must make sure students are given the same opportunities and are treated equally; and 
7. lastly, students with disabilities must be helped to develop self-confidence, abilities, and, more importantly, independence.  

Conclusion

The success or failure of a student with a disability is directly caused by stakeholders (leaders, teachers, parents, and community members). Therefore, leaders and those under their subordination have the important role to rule, supervise, and lead educational institutions, and they must be responsible and committed enough to meet the requirements and principles of diversity in inclusive education. Moreover, parents in association with leaders and members of a given community should all think about ways they can promote and carry out integration and inclusion so that segregation and similar practices can be avoided, to make Mozambique a better place for everyone. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Education and Human Development must also appear with further initiatives to reinforce the development of policies for Special Education and implement them accordingly. In short, the policies and approaches for special education must thrive mutually. That is to say, the theoretical policies on special education in Mozambique must be also put into practice, duly and fairly, under the condition of constant and thorough supervision and/or control.