Persons With Disabilities, (PWDs), across the country want a review of Ghana’s educational system from basic to tertiary to be more inclusive of them.
According to PWD’S although the current system provides a certain level of inclusion there still remain some lapses.
They say currently only three tertiary institutions across the country make provision for visually impaired persons while at the Basic level there are no trained special needs teachers to support visually impaired or deaf students.
They also talk about the lack of sign language interpreters in most tertiary institutions, a situation which hampers their progress as they are forced to rely on their colleague students who in most cases are not able to give them exactly what is taught in class.
The PWD’s made these known at a Consultative meeting to solicit their views for the review of the National Youth Policy.
Developed in 2010, the current National youth Policy has not seen any amendments.
Although the document contains quite a number of topics to provide guidelines on the implementation of programmes, policies and projects for the development of the youth, it is silent on programmes and policies for young people with disabilities.
This is despite the fact that about two hundred and sixty thousand people in Ghana are young people with disabilities.
The consultative meeting with PWD’s is therefore to ensure that their inputs are featured in the reviewed policy.
The stakeholders present, spoke mainly about challenges of lack of inclusion in the Educational sector.
The Vice President of the Ghana Blind Union madam Mawunyo Daghah said despite the passage of the Inclusive Education Policy there is still the lack of appropriate support for Persons With Disabilities.
The Chief Executive of the National Youth Authority Emmanuel Assigri gave the assurance that the policy will be implemented fully to the benefit of all persons.
Story by GBC’s Doreen Ampofo.
