The Realising Inclusive and Safe Education (RISE) project is working to ensure that children with disabilities, particularly girls, can access safe, inclusive and quality education. Baseline studies conducted in Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia provide an important snapshot of the realities facing children with disabilities before project interventions are fully implemented. Together, the findings highlight both encouraging progress and significant challenges that continue to exclude many children from education.
Across all three countries, one clear message emerges: children with disabilities want to learn and participate in school, but systemic barriers continue to hold them back. Stigma, inadequate resources, inaccessible infrastructure and limited specialist support remain common themes.
In Rwanda, disability prevalence among children and young people aged 5 to 19 stands at 1.9%, with slightly higher rates among boys than girls. There is a stark education gap, with nearly one quarter (24.3%) of children with disabilities never having attended school, compared with only 8% of children without disabilities. The situation is particularly severe in the rural areas where RIS works, where distance, poverty and limited services compound exclusion. The study identified cultural beliefs, discrimination, lack of specialised teachers, inaccessible school facilities and insufficient assistive devices as major obstacles to education. Girls with disabilities were identified as being especially vulnerable to exclusion due to societal expectations around caregiving and marriage.
In Malawi, the baseline covered 108 government primary schools across four districts, serving more than 134,000 learners, including over 4,500 children with disabilities. School access and enrolment figures were encouraging, with all sampled schools enrolling children with disabilities and attendance averaging 73%. However, important challenges remain beneath these headline figures. More than half of children with disabilities require assistive devices, while many schools conduct disability screening only annually or not at all. Teacher preparedness is also a concern, with over 60% of teachers reporting no training in inclusive education pedagogy. Although most teachers said they apply inclusive education strategies, only around one in five demonstrated highly effective practice. The study also found that many children still experience negative community attitudes and report low feelings of safety.
Zambia’s baseline paints a similarly mixed picture. Children with disabilities generally reported positive relationships with teachers and respectful treatment in the classroom. School leaders and education officials overwhelmingly recognised that children with disabilities can and should learn alongside their peers. However, the study found that more than 80% of children lacked the assistive devices they needed to participate fully in learning. Inclusive teaching practices were inconsistent, screening and referral systems were uneven, and bullying, exclusion and inaccessible infrastructure continued to affect children’s wellbeing, particularly for girls with disabilities. Community attitudes are improving but stigma remains a significant barrier to educational participation.
While each country presents a unique context, the similarities are striking. All three studies highlight the urgent need for better teacher training, greater access to assistive devices, stronger identification and referral systems, improved school infrastructure and sustained work with communities to challenge stigma and discrimination.
These baselines established the foundation from which RISE will measure progress at the midline evaluation in 2027. They also reinforce why the project is so important. With targeted support, strengthened systems and collaboration between schools, families, communities and governments, children with disabilities can thrive in education and realise their full potential. Through RISE, Link Education International and our partners are working to make that vision a reality across Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia.