Small steps to change

 A collection of stories from school leaders working for inclusion in Nepal, Pakistan and Afghan refugee schools

These short stories are based on case study data from the research project School Leaders as Agents of Change Towards Equity and Inclusion (2021-2024)

Over the course of several weeks, school leaders engaged deeply in inclusion-focused work through their participation in Networked Improvement Communities (NICs). Supported by experienced facilitators and structured, open-access tools, they explored and implemented strategies to better support marginalized learners across their schools.

Here, school leaders tell stories of practical actions taken within both classrooms and communities, reflection on outcomes, and the thinking that guided their decision-making. Leaders share why they prioritized inclusion, what they learned through the process, and how their collective efforts contributed to meaningful change.

On one level, these  are local stories, reflecting different challenges in different contexts. On another, they are leadership stories demonstrating change and advocacy from the bottom-up with significance for regional and national policy makers.

Many learners, many needs 

by Principal Kamala

Principal Kamala is a female headteacher aged 41-50 years with a postgraduate qualification. She leads a rural higher secondary Co-Ed school in an area of poverty in Nepal. At the start of the project Principal Kamala shared that in her schools, “there are students of all castes, languages and different abilities. But there is no effective teaching to meet their learning needs”. For Principal Kamala this was a long-standing problem that was very difficult to address. Going through Open Course activities and  participation in the NIC project led Principal Kamala to review the available data on students’ attendance and achievement. She complemented this with other data, such as whether the student is an orphan or lives in someone else’s house rather than the family home. Then she disaggregated the data using different criteria such as disabilities, male and female, caste and ethnic group.She identified several  patterns in the data and in her first PDSA cycle  decided to tackle the micro-problem of students who were leaving school early.  She consulted with the School Management Committee, and the Parent Teacher Association. She also conducted home visits. Through these activities Principal Kamala found that some students were leaving school before the end of the school day because they were hungry.  In order to encourage students to complete the school day, Principal Kamala worked with the community to provide students with supplemental meals while they are in school. She later found improved attendance and greater participation in lessons throughout the school day.

“ Now, the situation is different. We have brought [kept] in about 40% more of the students. The students are happier. Some students who used to skip school entirely are now attending. Even those who didn't know each other before have formed friendships, learned to cooperate, and engage in group activities."

In another PDSA cycle Principal Kamala identified the micro-problem that only the boys were being asked  to be class monitors.  Working with the teachers, Principal Kamala created a policy that all students should be given the chance to be class monitors: girls and boys, and students with disabilities or those who come from different linguistic communities. She feels that this has improved the management of students in her institution.

 ”When choosing the monitor of the class, we used to say to the boy, ‘Hey, you be the monitor’. But now, when responsibilities are assigned, the job of being a monitor is also given to girls. A disabled student is also capable, so the job can also be assigned to a disabled student. When someone is excluded for some reason - when they speak a different dialect, for example, we now say, ‘ [Let’s try to] Speak in his language too.’ It has become easier to identify  and address these issues. It has made a significant change in how we engage our students. Now I understand a little better. Inclusivity means more than just providing books and stationery. It’s not [only] about giving equal opportunities to boys and girls. Inclusion is about understanding why someone is lagging behind and how to bring that person forward. To do this, we need to work with everyone -  the teaching staff, in the School Management Committee, the parents and guardians, and the students themselves.”