Real People, Real Needs: Exploring the Experiences and Perspectives about Opportunities and Obstacles of the Deaf Education Program in

Dadaab Refugee Camp, Kenya

Megan YoungsM.A. Candidate

Comparative, International and Development Education / Educational

AdministrationOISE

Outline

Background Definitions Rationale

Research Questions Theoretical Framework Methodology Findings Conclusion

Who are the Refugees?

“increasingly, both pure refugees and purely economic migrants are ideal constructs rarely found in real life; many among those who routinely meet the refugee definition are clearly fleeing both political oppression and economic dislocation”(Papademitriou, 1993, p. 212)

Forced migration Globalization Human-made & natural disasters

Refugees & Long–Term Displacement

Protracted Refugee Situations

“One in which refugees find themselves in a long-lasting and intractable state of limbo. Their lives may not be at risk, but their basic rights and essential economic, social and psychological needs remain unfulfilled after years in exile. A refugee in this situation is often unable to break free from enforced reliance on external assistance” (UNHCR, 2010)

Education in Emergencies

►Access to education is a human right, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Geneva Conventions, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and numerous other international laws and treaties.

►Studies have cited basic education as a tool to protect children and youth and promote peace, stability and sustainable development (Sinclair, 2002; Mendenhall, 2008; Bethke, 2004; Razzak, 2005).

►Education is also the “basis for reducing poverty and inequality, improving health, enabling the use of new technologies, and creating and spreading knowledge” (EFA, 2008)

Two Major Perspectives

pathological (medical-centric) vs.

Contradictory views and attitudes towards Deafness. The contradiction stems from several centuries old dichotomy entrenched in the “inherent unequal power dynamics” (Anderson and Barrera, 1995) which form the exoskeleton of the Deaf educational institutions and systems.

cultural-linguistic

Context: Deaf in Kenya

►70 Deaf learning institutions 41 Deaf schools 30 Deaf Units 3 Secondary Schools 3 Vocational Secondary Schools

►60 to 70 Deaf teachers Kenya Federation of Deaf Teachers

(KFDT)

What about the refugee camps in Kenya?

Rationale Real People, Real Needs – Theme of World Refugee Day 2009 Emphasis on the “need to do much more to heed the voices

emerging from the South itself” (Crossley and Watson, 2003, p.90 and Teasdale & Teasdale, 1999; Holmes, 2001) particularly to better understand the realities and the roles that educational institutions situated in rural parts of the country with basic infrastructure play in Deaf refugees’ lives.

Research in the refugee field is relatively a new field, and this study will be one of the first attempts to explore existing educational opportunities for Deaf refugees in a refugee camp. There are large gaps in our understanding of the lived experiences of Deaf refugees in a refugee camp. Very little is known about Deaf refugees in the refugee camps.

To document existing educational and civil society opportunities in Africa (often unknown to the international Deaf community), both in the academic and voluntary sectors.

Research Questions

What role does the Deaf education in refugee camps play in Deaf refugees’ lives?

1) What are the stakeholders’ experiences and perspectives of the opportunities associated with Deaf education?

2) What are the stakeholders’ experiences and perspectives of the obstacles associated with the Deaf education?

3) What strategies are stakeholders associated with the Deaf education units employing or advocating to address the continuing challenges and needs for Deaf refugee’s education?

Theoretical FrameworkTheoretical FrameworkThe Triple I Model proposed by Miles

(Video Journal of Education, 1987)

Initiation Linked to

High Profile Need

Clear Model

Strong Advocate

Active Initiation

Implementation EmbeddingEmbedding Links to Links to

InstructionInstruction Widespread UseWidespread Use Removal of Removal of

Competing Competing PrioritiesPriorities

Continuing Continuing AssistanceAssistance

Institutionalization Orchestration Shared

Control Pressure and

Support Technical

Assistance Rewards

Methodology

► Illuminative evaluation methodology (Parlett & Hamilton, 1976)

► 6 weeks fieldwork at Dadaab Refugee Camp (June to July 2009)

► On site observations► Semi structured interviews (videotaped)

Translators Sign Language Interpreter

► Western/academic values vs. Cultural values► Unique transcribing process with multiple

languages

Multiple Languages and Literacies

“Street (1999) states global agendas related to literacy have distorted people’s thinking because they have overlooked the fact that within any culture there are many different ‘literacies,’ each with its own code and validity” (Crossley and Watson, 2003, p.87). Kenya Sign Language Somali Sign Language Home signs Kiswahili Somali English

Stakeholders

Hagadera Ifo Dagahaley

7 students 9 students 2 students

3 teachers 10 teachers 3 teachers

2 community members 5 community members 14 community members

2 SNE teacher/inspector 2 SNE teacher/inspector 2 SNE teacher/inspector

1 headmaster 3 headmasters 2 headmasters

1 CARE Basic Education Director

Findings

Dadaab Refugee Camp

► 300,000 refugees camp facilities are

designed to meet the capacity of 90,000 refugees

Monthly influx of approx. 6,500 new refugees

Approx. 30,000+ refugees with hearing loss in the camps.

► 3 compounds within Dadaab separated by 5 miles radius

Ifo Dagahaley Hagadera ► Numerous implementing

and managing organizations working in partnership with UNHCR(MSF, GTZ, WFP, NRC, Action Against Hunger, Filmaid International, HI, IOM and SAVE)

macraesy

move this slide before refugee camp description

“Coming from a small rural village and I didn’t understand anything. They gave us new identification and ration cards. They gave us food and told us to stay at home... I did not know the area at all, I was afraid to get lost so my mother told me to stay. If I got lost, then I would remain lost because how do I hear my mother call my name? Then someone who was white, I didn’t know who, he came and talked with my father. He was surprised that I was Deaf. They tried to figure out what to do with me and touched me. I did not even understand at all as I did not even sign back then, I only knew Somali Sign Language. I didn’t know Kenyan Sign Language at all...

Time went by, I waited and waited, then in 1992, I finally started my first school. Yes, I was one of the first Deaf to go to school... Teachers didn’t know anything about Deaf, this was the first time and there was no signing. The teacher came from Kenya. He first taught us ABC’s and we learned fast. I was around 10 years old when I started school ... I would play a lot and I would learn. I had shorts. I kept on playing and playing, then in 1994, we went up to next level. In 1994, Stephen came! Stephen came and was surprised to see Deaf people here, there was not many [Deaf people] back then, not like today, there was only few. Stephen asked us if it would be fine if he videotaped us, he did and videotaped of us showing signs, everything about our camp life, camels, home, school, everything. Stephen was satisfied, he gave us few things then he left. Stephen would come and go ... he was not a teacher, he was responsible for several camps.”

(Teacher 13)

Historical Timeline1991 – 1st influx of refugees arrive from Somalia1992 – First Deaf Unit was established at Ifo (12 students

at Halane)1992 to 1994 – two more Deaf Units were established at

Hagadera and Dagahaley (including at Liboi holding centre)

1994 – Mr. Stephen Gachuhi appointed as Disability Program Facilitator

2004 – Mr. Fanuel Randiki appointed as Special Education Officer for CARE

First batch of Deaf students attended Secondary School in Kenya

2006 – Three Special Education Teachers from Kenya were appointed by CARE for each camp

First annual Deaf inter-camp football tournament

Deaf Units in Dadaab

►7 Deaf Units

Ifo Hagadera Dagahaley

Halane Unit Central Unit Unity Unit

Horseed Unit Jubba Unit

Midnimo Unit

Western Unit

Deaf Units Central Unit Halane Unit Midnimo Unit Horseed Unit Unity Unit Jubba Unit

Total Enrolment of Deaf Students in this Camp

225 Deaf students* #

158 Deaf students* 167 Deaf students*

Total Enrolment of Deaf Students in the Unit

37 Deaf Students (3 are integrated in Std. 8)

28 students (std. 1 to 5) (6 are integrated)

7 students (3 are integrated & 4 are in the unit)

25 students (std. 1 to 4)

9 students (6 are Deaf, 2 has mental disabilities & 1 has low vision and additional challenges) in std. 1 & 2

9 Deaf students (3 girls & 6 boys) 2 are in std. 2 and the rest are in std. 1

# of classrooms 2 classrooms 3 classrooms 1 classrooms 1 classroom and 1 blackboard for 3 teachers

1 classroom and 1 blackboard for 2 teachers

Shares the classroom with the Blind Unitc

Total # of Teachers of the Deaf

3 Teachers of the Deaf (One hearing female, 2 are KISE trained)

4 Teachers of the Deaf

3 Teachers of the Deaf

3 Teachers of the Deaf (One hearing female)

2 Teachers of the Deaf

1 Teacher of the Deaf

# of Deaf Teachers

No Deaf teachers

1 Deaf Teacher 1 Deaf Teacher 1 Deaf Teacher 1 Deaf Teacher 1 Deaf Teacher

Administrators (Basic Education Director, Special

Education Teachers, Special Education School Inspectors and

Headmasters)Opportunities

► Building Community Building Community Awareness and Awareness and OutreachOutreach

► Deaf Units and Deaf Deaf Units and Deaf Teachers as Role Teachers as Role ModelsModels

Obstacles

► Competing Priorities Competing Priorities and Lack of Technical and Lack of Technical AssistanceAssistance Sign language trainingSign language training FundingFunding Focus on access to Focus on access to

educationeducation High turnoverHigh turnover

“the quality of education for the Deaf went down when teachers do not have

sign language skills” (Administrator 5, 2009).  

Teachers

Opportunities

► Deaf Units and Deaf Deaf Units and Deaf Teachers as Role Teachers as Role ModelsModels

Obstacles

► Lack of Technical Lack of Technical Assistance Linked to Assistance Linked to InstructionInstruction Sign language Sign language

training/proficiency training/proficiency (hearing and Deaf (hearing and Deaf teachers)teachers)

Heavy workload Heavy workload (Levels, teachers, (Levels, teachers, support, resources and support, resources and teaching materials)teaching materials)

School is “a very special thing because you learn everything, to know things, how to communicate, to become a better person. If there is no school, many will become thieves, rape girls and use drugs. Education will help you in the

future so that Deaf can be equal with the world” (Teacher 6, 2009)

Deaf StudentsOpportunities

► Opportunity to Access Opportunity to Access to Educationto Education

► Social InteractionSocial Interaction

Obstacles► Community StigmaCommunity Stigma► Lack of Link to Lack of Link to

InstructionInstruction Sign language Sign language

proficiencyproficiency Upper primary levelUpper primary level

► IntegrationIntegration► Difficult Transition to Difficult Transition to

Deaf Secondary Deaf Secondary School in KenyaSchool in Kenya“When the board is full with writing, the teacher would read until it

becomes hard to sign, harder to sign then he will just point at the word or he would just stop and leave the classroom. But now we have one Deaf

teacher with sweet hands – he is complete! I get full information. Deaf teacher teaches me English and GHC but the rest of subjects – there is

big problem there for me. I love English very much because it means the world, everything is in it” (Student 7, 2009)

Community Members (Parents)Opportunities

► Discovering the Deaf Discovering the Deaf UnitsUnits

► Positive Changes in Positive Changes in their Deaf Childtheir Deaf Child

Obstacles► Community Stigma Community Stigma

and Emotional Well-and Emotional Well-BeingBeing Separate Deaf SchoolSeparate Deaf School

“Before I came here as a refugee, I have never believed that Deaf children can learn in school until I came here and was surprised to find

out that Deaf children can learn normally like other children. I know from here. I am happy for this when I see these children can learn” (Parent 2,

2009).

“Before I brought my children in school, it is like walking in the darkness but now with education it is like light, they have light from the teachers”

(Parent 1, 2009).

Deaf Units and ‘Triple I’

•Embedding•Widespread Use•Removal of Competing Priorities (?)•Continuing Assistance (?)

•Orchestration and Shared Control (?)•Pressure (Support?)•Technical Assistance (?)•Rewards

•High Profile Need•Strong Advocate•Clear Model of Change (?)

Conclusion

► Why bother?► Recommendations

Sign Language as a Tool for Accessibility Deaf as Agents

► Importance of understanding different perspectives (opportunities and obstacles) Its impact on the ‘structure’, involved

stakeholders, program’s aims Its strengths and weaknesses

ASANTE SANAI want to express my deepest appreciation for everybody who truly believed in me and encouraged me to push myself beyond what I would have thought I was capable of achieving.

By locating this particular iceberg floating among masses of icebergs, I have come to shed light on this iceberg, this research is for the Deaf refugees floating across the deserts of Africa.