Redefine Education - Justine Mwewa Kimbala

Each Child is Unique: Rethinking Inclusive and Personalized Education Beyond Experience

Justine Mwewa Kimbala (Project Coordinator: Three2Six Educational Project)

This presentation explores the limitations of relying solely on teaching experience when working with diverse learners. Drawing from real classroom narratives in inclusive and refugee education contexts, Justine Mwewa Kimbala highlights how each child defies generalization and demands to be seen as a unique individual. Through reflective practice and storytelling, she examines how personalized education is not a special intervention, but a mindset rooted in empathy, observation, and flexibility.

Using case studies and practical examples, the presentation challenges deficit-based thinking and calls for humility in teaching especially when working with learners with developmental, emotional, or linguistic differences. Rather than offering a fixed model, it offers a human-centered approach that emphasizes adaptability and compassion in under-resourced settings.

Ultimately, the session invites educators and policymakers to reimagine inclusion as a daily, relational commitment to equity, dignity, and respect because no matter how much we know, each child is always a new discovery.

*Please bring your notebook and stationery along to this session.

I am a dedicated educator and project coordinator at the Three2Six Education Project, a pioneering initiative that provides access to education for refugee and migrant children in South Africa. With over 17 years of teaching experience, I have worked at the intersection of education, migration, and inclusion, advocating for the rights of children who are often marginalized by mainstream education systems.

I was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and began my career as a primary school teacher after earning my Diploma in Teaching. My passion for social justice and global migration led me to pursue an Honor’s Degree in International Relations at the University of Lubumbashi. After relocating to South Africa, I continued my academic journey by completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Forced Migration at the University of the Witwatersrand, followed by a PGCE in Foundation Phase and an Honor’s Degree in Early Childhood Development and Inclusive Education from UNISA.

My professional and academic experiences have shaped my deep belief that every child is unique and deserves a learning environment that respects their pace, background, and potential.

At the Redéfinir l'Éducation Conference, I will present on the theme: “Each Child is Unique: Rethinking Inclusive and Personalized Education Beyond Experience.” My presentation draws on years of practical engagement and aims to inspire a shift toward more human-centered, flexible, and inclusive educational models.

Passionate about equity, healing, and the transformative power of education, I remain committed to building pathways for learners who are too often left behind ensuring that no child is invisible in the classroom.