‘Allocate more resources to disabled’

09 Oct, 2016 - 00:10 0 Views
‘Allocate more resources to disabled’ Cde Joshua Teke Malinga

The Sunday News

Cde Joshua Teke Malinga

Cde Joshua Teke Malinga

Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
THE Government has been urged to allocate more resources towards empowerment of people living with disabilities so that they equally take part in economic activities.

Close to one million people, making up seven percent of the population have different kinds of disability and a majority of them try to hide their condition due to stigmatisation.

The Jairos Jiri Association, has in light of this, adopted a paradigm shift and focusing on rehabilitation of the disabled.

The association in partnership with Great Zimbabwe University, co-hosted the International conference on responses to disability which ended on Thursday in Victoria Falls, with the aim of finding strategies to address concerns of special needs people.

Jairos Jiri Association president Dr Alva Mandizvidza Senderayi said a number of learning institutions were being capacitated on the rehabilitation and integration process of people living with disabilities.

“We welcome partnership because we are now seeing participation of civic society not only in promotion but planning. Our approach has changed, we are not institutionalising these people but now emphasising on community rehabilitation,” he said.

Dr Senderayi said about 4 000 to 6 000 children go though Jairos Jiri Association Centres dotted countrywide every year.

These include Bulawayo Vocational Centre, St Bernard’s School also in Bulawayo, School of the Blind in Gweru, Kadoma School of the Blind, Waterfalls and Harare Centre.

“Seven percent of the population, which is about 900 000, is living with a disability and a majority of them are children hence it is very important to integrate them at a tender age. We have two schools in Mutoko and also the Bulawayo Vocational Centre where integration is being done,” Dr Senderayi said.

He expressed hope challenges would be overcome through partnership with learning institutions.

Dr Senderayi said the association was now relying on self-reliant income generating projects in light of donor fatigue.

Great Zimbabwe University Acting Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Andrew Chindanya said learning institutions have taken a leading role in training of special needs sensitive skills.

“This is a high profile conference with six local and three international universities and we are co-hosting it with Jairos Jiri Association as we tap into their experience. We believe we will bring to the table a theoretical dimension as an academic institution,” said Dr Chindanya.

He said GZU and Jairos Jiri have a relationship in terms of curriculum development, where the university consults the association on its degree programmes. The Masvingo-based university offers four degree programmes-related to special needs development as it strives to empower people living with disability.

Other universities participating were Reformed Church University, Ezekeil Guti University, Midlands State University, Africa University, Chinhoyi University of Technology and Great Zimbabwe. From the Sadc region University of South Africa (Unisa), University of Venda and University of Swaziland were represented.

Dr Chindanya said there was a need for more efforts to be done in terms of addressing needs of people with special needs.

“As institutions we have taken the challenge from Government to introduce sign language in schools which is now one of the official languages in the Constitution. We are training teachers to go and train pupils and integrate people with disability into mainstream education.

“The idea is to address the question of prejudice and make society aware that people with disability are not different. We recommend deployment of more resources by Government as a matter of urgency.

“There should also be publicity programmes to raise awareness on contribution of people living with disabilities. The community should also be encouraged to embrace such people.”

During deliberations, participants said learners were facing discrimination challenges at learning institutions.

Disability activist and politician Cde Joshua Malinga said everybody is disabled one way or the other, adding that disability was a societal construct where people feel the disabled have to change to fit into the society.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira, who was guest of honour, in a speech read on her behalf by principal director in her office Mr Simon Masanga, said there was a need to solidify consent and consensus between Government and academia on policy issues as this will strengthen implementation mechanisms.

She said broader and better education access to education remains a key enabler of poverty eradication among persons with disability, but sufficient financial and human resources remain an impediment to the realisation of this goal.

Twitter:@ncubeleon

Share This:

Survey


We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey

This will close in 20 seconds