Extend free education policy to children with special needs - Government urged
The Principal of New Horizon Special School, Ms Vanessa Adu-Akorsah, has asked the government to extend the free education policy to children with special needs to ease the financial burden on parents and caretakers.
She noted that although the government had made financial provisions to cater for the educational needs of children with special needs in the country, that amount was not adequate. She added that more than 70 per cent of such children could not be absorbed into the government schools because of poor conditions, including lack of space for accommodation.
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“The government could channel taxes from individuals and organisations to cater for these children with special needs in order to ease the financial burden of parents and caretakers” she told the Daily Graphic during the Founders Day celebration on the school premises in Accra.
Event
The school held its Family Recognition and Founders Day event to acknowledge families who work hard to bring a sense of purpose to children with autistic conditions.
It brought together parents, caretakers, staff and pupils of the school who also celebrated the Founder and Executive Director of the school, Mrs Salome Francois, for her stewardship.
Mrs Adu-Akorsah further urged policy makers to incorporate into their policies and programmes children with special needs in order not to leave them out in the national development effort.
“As it stands, we are all by ourselves, policy makers need to make provision for these children to be part of nation building because they are all citizens of Ghana,” she added.
She urged the government to engage stakeholders in the formulation of policies regarding children with special needs in order to come out with programmes that responded to the needs of those children.
Guests
Guests at the event were treated to various cultural displays and poetry recitals by students from the special school.
For her part, Mrs Francois stated that for such children to be useful in life, it required the support of parents.
She pleaded with couples, particularly husbands, to render unflinching support in shaping the future of their autistic children.
Sharing the same thoughts, a Management Strategist on Communication and Human Capital Development, Mrs Phyllis Kuenyehia, added that autistic children needed special support to unearth their potentials.
A retired High Court Judge, Mrs Helena Abban, expressed appreciation to the school for its contribution in nurturing children with special needs..