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Disabled Refugee Students in Zimbabwe

Strategies, Policies, and Directions for Refugee Education

ISBN: 978-1-78714-798-0, eISBN: 978-1-78714-797-3

Publication date: 16 November 2018

Abstract

Students with disabilities face numerous challenges in the institutions of learning especially in developing countries. Refugees student with disabilities face double jeopardy as they face discrimination due to their disability and because of their refugee status. In Zimbabwe the rights of refugees with disabilities are not well respected as enshrined in the international statues such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Universities in Zimbabwe appreciate that refugees are part of their diverse population and this includes the presence of students with disabilities who are also refugees. They have adopted a number of initiatives to accommodate these students. The disability resource centers at these institutions have been given the leading role in helping students with disabilities who are refugees to feel at home. The student affairs department also provides the necessary assistance that is required by these students. Refugees often require counseling to be able to deal with the past and the future challenges. Hence, counseling facilities are provided by the universities so that students who are refugees are mentally psyched so that they are able to perform well in their class. The language barrier was identified as deterrent to the success of refugees in their studies. Universities offer English language tutorials for free to the refugee students prior to the attendance of their degree programs. Challenges that are faced by refugee students with disabilities cannot be solved by government alone hence partnerships with non-governmental organizations (NGOs). NGOs have been at the forefront of assisting these students with scholarships and assistive devices because some students with disabilities do not afford to source the devices due to their prohibitive costs.

Keywords

Citation

Rugoho, T. and Shumba, J. (2018), "Disabled Refugee Students in Zimbabwe", Sengupta, E. and Blessinger, P. (Ed.) Strategies, Policies, and Directions for Refugee Education (Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning, Vol. 13), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 117-128. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2055-364120180000013007

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

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