The Role of Community-Based Organizations in Promoting Inclusive Education Practices Outside the Formal School System

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the involvement of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) in support of inclusion programs outside the traditional schooling context. In this paper, CBOs' approaches to redress educational imbalances and facilitate the education of the disenfranchised are showcased through successful case studies in various global contexts. The findings stress the role of CBOs as effective local performers in the identification of educational needs, the function of intermediary agents between the formal educational systems and the local communities and environment, and the development of inclusive learning processes. We discuss the use of non-formal education programs by CBOs as well as advocacy, social mobilization, and partnerships with schools and policymakers. The paper also describes the issues encountered by CBOs in supporting and promoting the principles of inclusive education, as well as potential measures for improvement. This paper also shows the importance of CBOs in attaining educational equity and inclusion since it also presents different models for demonstration. The insights, therefore, extend the definition of inclusive education beyond school-based provision and will provide information for policy, teachers, and other stakeholders who are interested in providing opportunities for learning to everyone.