For the past 14 years, Beatrix Kulesi has dedicated her life to creating an inclusive learning environment for children with special needs in Malawi.
Driven by a passion for helping her community, she has gone beyond the typical duties of a teacher.
Kulesi’s career path is anything, but ordinary. As a specialist in special needs education, she has worked with students facing a range of challenges such as autism, hearing impairments and learning disabilities.
Her commitment to making education accessible for all children has been a defining feature of her journey, impacting countless lives along the way.
“My goal is to see as many children as possible included in mainstream schools and schools adapting to the needs of every student,” she says.
Over the years, Kulesi has championed the establishment of special needs departments in each school she has worked with, enabling students with disabilities to thrive alongside their peers.
Her dedication extends to her current work with Edge View International Academy (Evia), establishing programmes for over 20 students with varying learning disabilities, including physical impairments, autism, dyslexia and emotional challenges.
“Teaching has always felt inborn to me, but it wasn’t my first career choice. I initially thought about becoming an engineer.
“However, when I joined Catholic University of Malawi (Cunima), my passion for teaching came to light and I realised it was my calling.
“Growing up, I saw friends and family members with special needs. Back then, people with such needs were often dismissed as lazy or unintelligent. One of our neighbours had Downs’s syndrome, but no one knew what it was. We just knew he was different,” she said.
Kulesi said this was her first experience with a child with special needs.
When the degree programme in special needs education was launched at Cunima, it helped her learn and teach children with special needs.
In 2006, the programme was relatively new and she found the challenge refreshing.
“My mother encouraged me to pursue this path. She understood its importance.
“At first, I was hesitant, but my first week at school assured me I was on the right path. One day, while exploring the campus, I saw children with hearing impairments chatting in sign language and I was intrigued. Cunima has a mainstream school that has adopted inclusion,” she said.
Kulesi noted the impressive relationships among students— kindness, support and love.
“Seeing children with visual impairments being helped to cross the road or witnessing the independence students develop when taught confirmed I was in the right place. I’ve never looked back,” she said.
The expert also raises awareness about special needs by taking a few minutes to answer questions from others.
“This enhances their understanding and acceptance. I specially encourage parents to better understand their children and ensure they receive the academic support they need.
“We see parents enroll their children only to withdraw them later after we highlight their challenges,” she said.
Kulesi emphasized that it’s better to enroll a child in school than to keep them at home because children learn better and faster when surrounded by their peers.
“Early intervention is key. Sometimes, children don’t reach milestones within the expected timeframe, but if parents notice delays, it’s best to seek professional help.
“We can guide them on how to support the child. If most children with special needs received education or vocational training to become self-sustaining, I would consider it a meaningful impact on both the students and their families,” she said.
The teacher shared that she has received tremendous support throughout her career.
“I’ve always had the support of my family, friends, and lecturers— physically, emotionally and spiritually. I believe I was persevered because of them and I am deeply indebted.
Kulesi adds that although she faces challenges, there has been progress.
“Resources we need as teachers to effectively carry out our duties are often unavailable. We mostly improvise.
“Specialist teachers are available in Malawi, but the challenge arises when some of them move to other fields, creating a shortage,” she said.
But the rewards surpass these challenges.
“My favourite memory is of a student I taught after graduating from college. She was eight years old and her parents were desperate because few schools accept to enroll her and the few that did, neglected her because of hearing impairment.
“I made it my mission to teach her to sign and read. It was one of the most incredible experiences I had as a young teacher. It gave me confidence that I could make a difference. I’m proud to say she’s thriving as a young adult now,” she said.
Kulesi is involved with autism awareness campaigns in Lilongwe where she speaks to help parents understand the support they should seek for their children when selecting schools, for example.
She observes that teachers are often the starting point identifying challenges that parents may not have noticed.
“Some schools expel these children, labelling them as misbehaving or lacking attention and focus. Without a deeper understanding, childrenareunfairly penalised for something beyond their control,” she explained.
She has made it a priority to educate fellow teachers in schools she has worked in about special needs.
This knowledge helps them manage students more effectively.
“ E v e r y c l a s s t e a c h e r should have at least a basic understanding of learning disabilities to provide valuable insights,” she said.
Ku l e s i a d v i s es ot h e r educators and anyone interested in supporting children with special needs to be patient, compassionate and celebrate every milestone.
She emphasizes that this approach motivates both the children and the educators as there is a great reward in helping others.
She encourages students interested in education to consider studying Bachelor of Education in Special Needs.
“If more of us join, this will become an easier battle, allowing us to educate every child regardless of their disabilities. For those already in the field, I urge you to be hands on and creative. Even if the odds seem stacked against you, find a way to reach that goal,” she said.
The teacher was born on March 13 1988.
She went to Marymount and New Era private secondary schools. She was selected to Cunima in 2006.
Kulesi worked as a specialist teacher and a curriculum coordinator for a number of schools.
In 2018 she travelled to Sri Lanka to work as consulting head of department for special needs in at one of the oldest international schools.
She is Evia head teacher. In her free time, she loves watching football,.
“Sometimes I spend time playing pool, reading and collecting books,” she adds.
