At the West Bank, the ministry of education held a two hours festival on the 19th of November to honor six schools that have won the competition of using music as a tool in education for teachers and students with special needs. Diakonia is one of the organizations behind the ministry’s initiative.

Students stressing one of the Arabic alphabets using music.  Photo: Rehabilitation Programme/Diakonia

Performances

During the festival, schools who won the competition presented on-stage performances showing how music can be using in studying different subjects like languages and mathematics. The songs also portrayed how children with disabilities and special needs must be considered in all forms of education.

The Inclusive Education project

The initiative from the ministry of education stems from the Inclusive Education project. The purpose of the project, which Diakonia has helped initiating, is to educate teachers in different schools of the West Bank to be trained on using music as a tool in teaching students with special needs. The project was initiated by a study conducted by Diakonia, where methods of reaching out to children with special needs was researched.

Children with several special needs and disabilities were represented at the festival. Photo: Rehabilitation Programme/Diakonia

Regional Rehabilitation Programme The Inclusive Education project is one of several projects where Diakonia and the Regional Rehabilitation Programme in the West Bank are involved. The  programme seeks to promote the rights of children with disabilities, and strengthen their role in society. More about the programme