Expedite disability policy in schools, Govt urged

08 Jan, 2017 - 00:01 0 Views

The Sunday News

Tinomuda Chakanyuka, Sunday News Reporter
THE Government has been called on to expedite the inclusion of children living with disabilities to access the same education facilities as their able-bodied counterparts amid concerns that the current education system is discriminatory.

Senator representing people living with disabilities, Senator Annah Shiri told Sunday News last week that exclusion of physically challenged children from conventional schools and placing them in specialist schools was tantamount to discrimination.

Sen Shiri advocated for an inclusive education policy that recognises the plight of disabled children and puts them at par with other able-bodied children.

She said schools should ensure that their facilities were user-friendly to children with disabilities, should the schools choose to integrate children with disabilities with their able bodied counterparts.

“We want inclusive education in all schools across the country. There should be a policy which ensures that all children, regardless of disability learn in the same environment and have equal opportunities. The practice of placing children with disabilities in special schools is, in a way, some form of discrimination on grounds of disability.

“There are a lot of disabled children out there, who are only challenged physically but can match or even surpass their able-bodied counterparts when it comes to intelligence. Such children should be accorded the chance to learn in mainstream schools and that is what we are advocating for,” she said.

Sen Shiri highlighted the need to put in place disability-friendly facilities in schools as the first step to integrating physically challenged children in conventional schools.

She commended the Government for ensuring that teachers undertook special education during their teacher training programme to cater for the special needs of disabled children when conducting lessons during class.

“Facilities at schools should be disability-friendly to ensure children living with disabilities are able to access them. Facilities such as toilets need to be accessible by children on wheelchairs. There are a few schools in this country that have ramps for wheelchairs, yet it is not something expensive to put in place. This in itself is one step towards embracing those with disabilities,” she said.

She added, “Children with disabilities have to attend their own special schools, which in some instances are very expensive and as a result they end up not attaining basic primary education, which is a fundamental right, according to the supreme law of the land.

“Allowing children with disabilities to learn with other children in mainstream schools will help overcome stereotypes that disabled people suffer. If they learn and interact with others it becomes easy for them to be accepted as normal children and we are pushing for that to happen.”

Sen Shiri said awareness campaigns were being held in schools to ensure that children with disabilities are not discriminated against.

She also suggested that public places such as banks, churches, public libraries, museums, ensure that their equipment and facilities were friendly to living with disabilities.

“Most people living with disabilities find it difficult to access most buildings in town. Churches, banks, public offices and holiday resorts don’t have facilities that allow people living with disabilities to go about on their own.

“They have no choice and have to access such places with the assistance of their relatives who end up carrying them. People living with disabilities also want to be independent and not burden others. Public facilities should allow for this,” she said.

Sen Shiri said the starting point in making sure that the needs of people living with disabilities were catered for was to involve people with disabilities in policy making and elevating them to decision making positions within private organisations and Government.

 

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