The Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi (Fedoma) has decried lack inclusiveness on part of children with various disabilities in the country`s schools.

FEDOMA Executive Director Simon Munde has bemoaned this after revelations that only 69.20% of special needs candidates have passed the 2020 Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE).

“It’s a wakeup call to the Ministry of Education to come back to the drawing board to see how we actually are rating learners with special needs.

“These particular methodologies are not really there to help children with disabilities because in a situation where you use one size fits it all in terms of assessment the current curriculum that we have is what is producing such kinds of results,” Munde said.

He said there is need for review of the country`s curriculum aiming at addressing needs of all students including the special needs candidates.

According to the Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB), out of the 1,997 special needs candidates (SNE) who sat for this examination, 1,382 have passed which represents 69.20% pass rate.

“Our curriculum should not be as rigid as it is, our curriculum must be able to accommodate the needs of various children of different abilities that will help quite a lot otherwise you cannot say you have children with intellectual disability,” Munde said.

Government has since admitted challenges facing special needs candidates who, according Education Minister Agnes NyaLonje, have, on average, lower pass rates than other students and has since assured government`s commitment to working with all relevant stakeholders to try and address this imbalance.

Out of the 1,031 SNE male candidates who sat for this examination, 746 have passed representing 72.36% pass rate and out of the 966 SNE female candidates, 636 have passed which represents a 65.84% pass rate.