Government Urges Stakeholders In The Education Sector To Work For Inclusive Education
Stakeholders in the education sector need to create platforms to enhance inclusiveness in education for learners with disabilities and other special needs.
That call was made by Minister of State for Higher Education John Chrysostom during the National Dialogue on Special Needs Education in Kampala.
The dialogue held under the theme “Leaving No One Behind”, focused on improving teaching and learning and strengthening early childhood care and education.
Dr. Pamela Nizeyimana, who is a lecturer at Mountains of Moon University in Fort Portal and also an activist for disability rights, highlighted the need to make homes places of inclusiveness, adding that the focus has been on schools.
The Director of UNESCO’s International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa urged parents of children with disabilities, to use the available opportunities to have those children access education.
The UNICEF Representative to Uganda, Dr. Munir Safieldin cautioned the public against social barriers which include separating children with disabilities from those that are physically fit and stigmatizing them just because they are different.
The Commissioner of Special Needs Education, Sarah Bugoosi Kibooli, said that the ministry is committed to increasing the enrollment of girls and children with disabilities by providing educational materials to students
She also noted that negative attitude from community members is one of the setbacks to inclusive education. Commissioner Bugoosi also explained that the new teacher policy will help in giving quality education to learners with disabilities compared to the previous years.
The Minister of State for Higher Education John Chrysostom Muyingo, who represented the Minister of Education Janet Kataaha Museveni, encouraged all the stakeholders in the education sector to adopt measures to make learning easier for children with disabilities.
The Persons With Disabilities Act, of 2006 seeks to eliminate all forms of discrimination against people with disabilities towards equalization of opportunities.
Gloria
