Today, our dream is to develop knowledge and instill education for all stipulated in international covenants as fundamental human rights. UNESCO’s Convention against Discrimination in Education, deemed of paramount importance today, must be espoused as a benchmark in determining how far humanitarian efforts have accomplished in terms of seeing the Education for All dream become a reality.

Education for All is an encompassing concept; it honors the right of each person to primary, secondary, and university education, including persons with disabilities, who have had to make twice the effort to achieve their humanity, participate in all facets of life and enjoy all human rights guaranteed by international and national laws, particularly Article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which states:

“States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to education. With a view to realizing this right without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity, States Parties shall ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and life long learning.”

Without quoting related paragraphs on the creation of an enabling environment conducive to education and knowledge acquisition, this Convention has likewise promoted a series of measures aimed for adoption at the national level to allow a wider segment of society to enjoy education on an equal footing and without any form of discrimination; the non-discrimination principle upheld in the UN Charter. And since persons with disabilities are generally known for their potential for outstanding educational levels of attainment, they are faced with an important and daunting challenge, one that is reminiscent of the 60s and 70s.
Modern education and learning concepts pose serious difficulties to persons with disabilities. Today’s world is in a constant state of flux and persons with disabilities have to work harder and exert more effort to keep up with new developments in science and technology or face exclusion or alienation from the modern educational system.

Information technology is likewise crucial in empowering persons with disabilities, as it allows them to communicate with others better and access all or most forms of education and knowledge. This mechanism is currently adopted in many advanced economies, owing to their good standing in the global economy and domination in the development of modern technologies; these countries have more effectively facilitated access of disability-adapted computers, maximizing the digital revolution to spread knowledge and information.

The question is how do we make this global trend happen in fragile countries with weak economies and nations in a constant state of war? To do so, a series of conditions must first be met, especially in developing countries where it is more difficult to do so, given their socioeconomic conditions.

First, all five (5) main stakeholders of the Education for All campaign, namely: the UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, the World Bank and other similar organizations in the Arab world must efficiently and effectively extend the said program to persons with disabilities. To this end, they must meet the requirements of modern education by designing assistance and financial programs to provide persons with disabilities with the information they need and acquire the appropriate skills to handle modern technologies.

Also, national laws and legislations must be consistent with all regional and international covenants to the largest extent possible, in line with international legislations and aspirations of the international community to promote humanity without discrimination or exclusion.

While the Education for All dream is a legitimate right, its fruition can only be achieved through faith, effective planning, reliable implementation and persistent efforts to see it through. For instance, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has adopted Braille and sign languages as official tools in education as well as every facet of life. The Arab Decade similarly calls for an enabling education environment for all persons with disabilities.

Seemingly unattainable and utopian as they are, these goals generate hope. Hope that can then become a reality - that is, Education for All, including those with disabilities because to them, education is both a means and an end – a means to lift themselves out of exclusion and marginalization and an end through which they can significantly contribute to their surrounding environment.