Page 6 - Mainstreamer Volume 1, Issue 4, November 2023

NEED FOR INCLUSIVITY
Why is Lifelong Learning Significant for Persons with Visual Impairment

and Blindness?

Wong Huey
Siew

owadays, it is important for everyone, at all levels. This policy indicates that schools and
including persons with disabilities (PWD), universities must accept everyone, and no one can
Nto engage in lifelong learning. Lifelong be rejected.
learning, especially for persons with visual It is believed that if the necessary measures
impairment, should always align with the goals are taken to meet the needs of this special needs
of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with community, blind and visually impaired individuals
Disabilities (2008). This convention emphasises in the country should be able to participate in all
that PWD should be guaranteed the right to sorts of lifelong learning programmes without
inclusive education at all levels, irrespective of facing any restrictions. The question is: Does all
age, without discrimination and based on equal of this happen in reality? In fact, the Convention
opportunity. Following these principles, the special emphasises the full and effective participation
needs community, such as the visually impaired and inclusion of disabled individuals in society.
and blind persons, should have the right to access However, does this principle translate into the
preschool, primary and secondary education, practical participation of the blind and visually
tertiary education, vocational training, adult impaired in lifelong learning programmes?
persons with impairments and attitudinal and “
education and lifelong learning.
There is a connection between lifelong
learning and disability. The Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities noted that
In this context, lifelong learning can
“disability results from the interaction between

about a subject. It can also indicate
environmental barriers that hinder their full and mean studying, practising or reading
effective participation in society on an equal being taught, instructed or coached.
basis with others.” PWD continue to face barriers
in their participation as equal members of It enables people, especially those
society. Based on this scenario, blind and visually with special needs, to develop
impaired individuals may face various challenges, skills, knowledge, abilities and
including lifelong learning opportunities in formal understanding of certain subjects.”
and non-formal settings. Therefore, visually
impaired and blind individuals should be given In general, lifelong learning is crucial to
an equal opportunity and the right to access improving people’s well-being. According to
educational opportunities at all levels, particularly Kamarulzaman Kamaruddin (2007), lifelong
in adulthood. In achieving these goals, all learning programmes have strengthened efforts
government agencies, society and NGOs should to provide education for special needs groups in
lead in enabling the visually impaired and blind society. In the current situation, the campaign for
community to enjoy and learn various lifelong lifelong learning has drawn the attention of the
skills. The Zero Reject policy implemented in 2019 public to recognise the need to provide informal
by the Ministry of Education , Malaysia should be and non-formal learning for adults. An important
the most appropriate policy for all parties to learn question is whether the visually impaired and blind

5 November 2023 | Vol. 01, Issue 4