Ministry of Education minds about kids with disability
May 06, 2004
SIR— I wish to respond to the letter “The deaf, dumb, the wretched of the earth†that ran in the New Vision yesterday.
SIR— I wish to respond to the letter “The deaf, dumb, the wretched of the earth†that ran in the New Vision yesterday.
The writer, Mr Joseph Mbulamwana, complained that the children with hearing disability are not being helped to access education as others are, and that the few who have access to it happen to be from well-to-do families.
I wish to state that the Ministry of Education and Sports is taking action on the matter of children with disability. For example, Kyambogo College School is one of the schools that have successfully advanced the education of persons with disability.
Last year 2003, a candidate by the name of Godfrey Musanje, physically handicapped (motor impairment), scored aggregate 6 in the best six subjects and 9 in best eight in the Uganda Certificate of Education 2003. The boy emerged the best in the whole school in the 2003 UCE.
Another boy, with learning difficulty is also in S4 this year.
The two have registered success due to the supervisory support given them by the staff of the Department of Special Needs Education Career Guidance and Counselling at the Ministry of Education and Sports, and Kyambogo University, Faculty of Special Needs Education and Rehabilitation, working closely with the staff of Kyambogo College School. We should also appreciate the support that must have come from Musanje’s peers in helping him to obtain appropriate
education.
UNEB has also been consulted to make arrangements to set special examinations that will address the strength and weakness of the second boy.
This is to ensure that the student’s disability does not hinder him from progressing like other students.
Provision of education and other services for persons with disability requires partnership and involvement of all the relevant key players like in this case, policy makers, parents, school administration, teachers, UNEB and the support from fellow students.
I wish to commend the support rendered to these students and to challenge more schools and all stakeholders to follow suit.
To ensure effective delivery of education to children with disability, the ministry established a department at the headquarters and related structures at the districts to make policies and oversee their implementation.
This is all done in line with the vision and mission of this country.
The success of these two boys manifests a change of attitude with regard to educational provision and to the assessment methods when handling children with disabilities.
This has enabled the two concerned students not to drop out.
Other schools that are clearly miles ahead in dealing with this challenge are: Makerere College, Iganga SS, Ngora High School, St Francis Secondary School for the Blind, Madera, Makerere Special Secondary School for the Deaf, Mvara Secondary School, Angal Secondary School, Gulu High, Nancy School for the deaf, Kangole Secondary School, Moroto, Hornby High School, Mbarara Mixed School and Comboni Secondary School.
F.X.K Lubanga
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Education and Sports
The writer, Mr Joseph Mbulamwana, complained that the children with hearing disability are not being helped to access education as others are, and that the few who have access to it happen to be from well-to-do families.
I wish to state that the Ministry of Education and Sports is taking action on the matter of children with disability. For example, Kyambogo College School is one of the schools that have successfully advanced the education of persons with disability.
Last year 2003, a candidate by the name of Godfrey Musanje, physically handicapped (motor impairment), scored aggregate 6 in the best six subjects and 9 in best eight in the Uganda Certificate of Education 2003. The boy emerged the best in the whole school in the 2003 UCE.
Another boy, with learning difficulty is also in S4 this year.
The two have registered success due to the supervisory support given them by the staff of the Department of Special Needs Education Career Guidance and Counselling at the Ministry of Education and Sports, and Kyambogo University, Faculty of Special Needs Education and Rehabilitation, working closely with the staff of Kyambogo College School. We should also appreciate the support that must have come from Musanje’s peers in helping him to obtain appropriate
education.
UNEB has also been consulted to make arrangements to set special examinations that will address the strength and weakness of the second boy.
This is to ensure that the student’s disability does not hinder him from progressing like other students.
Provision of education and other services for persons with disability requires partnership and involvement of all the relevant key players like in this case, policy makers, parents, school administration, teachers, UNEB and the support from fellow students.
I wish to commend the support rendered to these students and to challenge more schools and all stakeholders to follow suit.
To ensure effective delivery of education to children with disability, the ministry established a department at the headquarters and related structures at the districts to make policies and oversee their implementation.
This is all done in line with the vision and mission of this country.
The success of these two boys manifests a change of attitude with regard to educational provision and to the assessment methods when handling children with disabilities.
This has enabled the two concerned students not to drop out.
Other schools that are clearly miles ahead in dealing with this challenge are: Makerere College, Iganga SS, Ngora High School, St Francis Secondary School for the Blind, Madera, Makerere Special Secondary School for the Deaf, Mvara Secondary School, Angal Secondary School, Gulu High, Nancy School for the deaf, Kangole Secondary School, Moroto, Hornby High School, Mbarara Mixed School and Comboni Secondary School.
F.X.K Lubanga
Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Education and Sports