Impact of Community-Based Rehabilitation on School Enrollment and Retention of Children with Disabilities

Habibur Rehman; Nawaz Ashraf

doi:10.63960/sp.2026.spheres.1.1.23

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Habibur Rehman Directorate of Education (DOE), NCT, Government of Delhi, India ##default.groups.name.author##
Nawaz Ashraf Directorate of Education (DOE), NCT, Government of Delhi, India ##default.groups.name.author##

https://doi.org/10.63960/sp.2026.spheres.1.1.23

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Community-Based Rehabilitation, Children With Disabilities, School Enrollment, School Retention, Inclusive Education, Low- And Middle-Income Countries

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Children with disabilities remain among the most educationally excluded groups in low- and middle-income countries, with global estimates suggesting they are several times less likely to attend school than their peers without disabilities. Community-based rehabilitation (CBR), endorsed by the World Health Organization as a strategy for disability-inclusive development, positions education as one of five core components alongside health, livelihood, social, and empowerment domains. This paper reviews evidence on the relationship between CBR and two specific educational outcomes: initial school enrollment and sustained retention. Drawing on systematic reviews, household surveys, and programme evaluations from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Malaysia, the paper finds that CBR interventions are associated with improved family awareness, referral into mainstream or special schools, and, in some settings, measurable gains in educational attainment among programme participants relative to non-participants. Retention gains appear less consistent than enrollment gains and depend heavily on complementary school-level accommodations. The paper concludes that CBR functions best as one component of a twin-track approach that combines community-level support with system-level inclusive education reform, rather than as a stand-alone solution.

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Habibur Rehman is a professional TGT Special Education Teacher working under the Directorate of Education (DOE), NCT Government of Delhi. He is deeply committed to advancing inclusive education practices and support frameworks for unique learners.
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Nawaz Ashraf is a professional TGT Special Education Teacher serving under the Directorate of Education (DOE), NCT Government of Delhi. As a dedicated educator and researcher, he focuses on developing inclusive learning environments for diverse students.

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