- Title: School in Egypt revives people with disabilities' dashed hopes
- Date: 25th September 2019
- Summary: OLFAT DURING CLASS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) STUDENT WITH DISABILITY AT "HOPE ACADEMY", OLFAT, SAYING: "(I love) everything, (and) drums." JOURNALIST ASKING: "You like drums?" "(And) Piano. (And I sing) 'no matter how old I get, I'm still young' (popular Egyptian song)." STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, ZEYAD AND SEIF, WORKING DURING HANDICRAFTS CLASS TEACHERS AND STUDENTS DURING CLASS CARTOON IMAGE ON WALL READING (English): "Zeyad" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) "HOPE ACADEMY" CO-FOUNDER, HASSAN ABDEL SAMEA, SAYING: "We were a group of six parents, our children had been in school for more than 18-20 years, suddenly, the school told us that the children cannot continue studying, because education laws dictate that (students with disabilities) leave school after 18 years of age. It was very difficult for us, because as a father of a son with special needs, you live his life. It is as if this decision affects you more than it affects him. (You start questioning) what would you do yourself." VARIOUS OF OLFAT DURING HANDICRAFTS CLASS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) "HOPE ACADEMY" CO-FOUNDER, HASSAN ABDEL SAMEA, SAYING: "I'm happy with him, with his character, I'm happy with how he thinks of himself. I'm also happy with the place which I founded. We started the place without any experience, we only had our belief in God, our love for our children and the trust we had in each other. We only had these three things." TOOLS / SIGN ON WALL READING (English): "WOOD WORKSHOP" VARIOUS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND TEACHERS WORKING DURING WOOD WORKSHOP VARIOUS OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AT GYM (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) "HOPE ACADEMY" CO-FOUNDER, LAMIAA SHAWKY, SAYING: "Of course I'm very happy. I was devastated when she left the school where she used to go, because I felt like life had stopped for the both of us. If she's not doing well, it will affect me, and my whole family. So yes of course, I am very very happy." VARIOUS OF CHILDREN PLAYING AT SCHOOL BACKYARD EXTERIOR WITH SIGN READING (English): "HOPE ACADEMY - SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION" STUDENTS LEAVING SCHOOL AND WAVING GOOD-BYE
- Embargoed: 9th October 2019 09:09
- Keywords: People with disabilities Egypt Education Children
- Location: CAIRO, EGYPT
- City: CAIRO, EGYPT
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Human Interest / Brights / Odd News,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA003AY5NMTZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Students with disabilities are usually left in limbo when they reach the age of 18 in Egypt, where laws do not protect their right to a higher education.
Most parents of students with disabilities opt to keep them enrolled in their high schools, however many others are asked to leave.
But one school in Cairo is trying to offer solutions.
"Hope Academy" offers educational material beyond academics, where students are given vocational training that enables them to later join the job market.
The school hosts 21 students and 12 teachers, who enjoy classes in music, painting, carpentry, office work, handicrafts, farming, and more.
While the school started to offer its services to students 18 and older, new classes have opened to accommodate children as young as four.
"Hope Academy" was built with the personal contributions of six parents. But the non-profit is now depending on tuition and proceeds from the sale of products handcrafted by the students.
Egypt has recently started to integrate students with disabilities into the mainstream public school system after decades of isolating them in schools with poor resources.
Thousands of students, however, struggle to join universities, and many complain that the system is yet to accommodate those suffering from severe disabilities.
People with disabilities represent more than 10 percent of Egyptians, according to the country's latest national census published in 2017.
In 2018, the Egyptian government passed a new law for the protection of the rights of people with disabilities.
(Production: Sherif Fahmy, Mostafa Salem, Mai Shams El-Din) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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