Uganda Knowledge and Innovation (KIX) Dialogue on Learners with Disabilities

In April 2023, HISP Uganda attended the Knowledge and Innovation (KIX) Dialogue on Leaners with Disabilities hosted by the Ministry of Education Special Needs Department with support from UNICEF ESAARO and UNESCO. The Hon. Minister of Higher Education was the guest of honor, accompanied by the Director UNESCO and UNICEF country representative to Uganda. The dialogue aimed to create awareness of the barriers to inclusive education and develop a call for action with a clear roadmap on how government and partners can unlock barriers to education for learners with disabilities.

Data collection and management was one of four critical themes discussed, highlighting:

• Limited data available on learners with special needs
• EMIS data not being accessible to all education levels
• Shortage of data to inform research and policy

HISP Uganda shared insight on how, through the DHIS2-DEMIS, a KIX Data Use innovation project, they have been able to make education data more visible at all levels to inform planning and resource allocation, particularly at district level. The team shared key indicators on special needs captured in DHIS2 and how districts have been able to use this information to advocate for additional resources to support special needs learners in schools.

Moving forward, the Commissioner for Special Needs at the Ministry of Education, expressed interest in learning more about the project and how we can collaborate to make data more accessible to inform decision making.