Scrap Standardised Testing! UN General Comment on the Right to Inclusive Education 2017

Had you noticed this paragraph (25) in the UN General Comment on the Right to Inclusive Education?

It’s the section where they are noting what they perceive to be some of the barriers that are impeding access for persons with a disability to inclusive education(they mean mainstream or what they call ‘regular learning environments’). 
IT”S OFFICIAL- standardised testing is the wrong thing to do if you want inclusion – time for a bonfire of all the tests – the UN says they ‘must be replaced’ – how ‘official’ do you need it to be?
“Curricula must be conceived, designed and applied to meet and adjust to the requirements of every student, and providing appropriate educational responses. Standardised assessments must be replaced by flexible and multiple forms of assessments and recognition of individual progress towards broad goals that provide alternative routes for learning.”

In paras 16 they amplify this when they caution against what they call a ‘deficit’ approach:

The education of persons with disabilities too often focuses on a deficit approach, on their actual or perceived impairment and limiting opportunities to pre-defined and negative assumptions of their potential. States parties must support the creation of opportunities to build on the unique strengths and talents of each individual with a disability.

And in para 18 they caution against excluding anyone because of the degree of their impairment:


Paragraph 2 (a) prohibits the exclusion of persons with disabilities from the general education system, including any legislative or regulatory provisions that limit their inclusion on the basis of their impairment or its “degree”, such as by conditioning their inclusion “to the extent of the potential of the individual”, or by alleging a disproportionate and undue burden to evade the obligation to provide reasonable accommodation. General education means all regular learning environments and the education department. Direct exclusion would be to classify certain students as ‘non-educable’, and thereby ineligible for access to education. Non-direct exclusion would be the requirement to pass a common test as a condition for school entry without reasonable accommodations and support.


Finally this part (Para 10c)of their definition of what they mean by inclusive education is brilliant 
(inclusive education is to be understood as) …”the primary means by which persons with disabilities can lift themselves out of poverty, obtain the means to participate fully in their communities, and be safeguarded from exploitation. It is also the primary means through which to achieve inclusive societies.’

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Inclusive Education – defined by United Nations

Inclusive education can be understood as:

  1. a fundamental human right of all persons with disabilities.
  2. a means to achieve the full realisation of the right to education and an indispensable means of realizing other human rights.[i]
  3. a principle that values the well-being of all students, respects their inherent dignity and acknowledges their needs and their ability to make a contribution to society.
  4. a process that necessitates a continuing and pro-active commitment to the elimination of barriers impeding the right to education, together with changes to culture, policy and practice of regular schools to accommodate all students.

General Comment no. 4

 Article 24

The right to inclusive education

UN General Comment on the Right to Inclusive Education

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Suffolk Person Centred Planning

November 15th – See Suffolk Personal Education Plans for children in care made person centred…first day of training. Listen to newly appointed Inclusion Facilitators reflecting on the day.

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Person Centred Planning Training in Wales

Person Centred Planning in Wales – facilitated by Colin Newton and Jo Mitchell of Inclusive Solutions – attended by Educational Psychologists from Rhondda Cynon Taf & Merthyr Tydfil Educational Psychology Services. A thoughtful and insightful gathering embraced the work of person centred planning as EPs. 

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Contact Us

Colin Newton

0115 955 6045

Doug Newton

dnewton123@ntlworld.com

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