By Edward Williams
Hohoe (V/R), Oct. 20, GNA – The Ghana Blind Union (GBU) has held a stakeholder meeting in the Hohoe Municipality to discuss issues affecting the education of visually impaired children in schools.
The meeting is to enable the stakeholders identify practical ways in ensuring that visually impaired children in schools can get the needed capacity and empowerment to live a full social life, including participating in education, family life and employment.
Dr Elizabeth Zotorvie, Programmes Manager, Ghana Blind Union (GBU), said the engagement of key stakeholders, including traditional and religious leaders, health and educational workers, Social Welfare Department, parents and students, was to make them aware of educational issues of the visually impaired.
She said the engagement also gave the stakeholders the magnitude of the issues and how they affected the visually impaired in schools.
Dr Zotorvie said it was the hope that the stakeholders with their enthusiasm and passion exhibited, would ensure that visually impaired children were fully supported in schools.
The Ghana Blind Union, Hohoe Branch in collaboration with Ghana Blind Union, Head Office with support from Visio International and Presbyterian Health Service, organised the meeting.
Mr Augustine Yaw Asangbah, President, Ghana Blind Union (GBU) Hohoe, on behalf of the District Champions, said community engagements had been carried out in Wli, Fodome and Alavanyo communities on proper measures and care to be given to the visually impaired.
He said they also held media engagements as well as engaging parents on the roles they could play in giving their visually impaired children the maximum care.
Mr Asangbah called on the stakeholders and the public to ensure that the visually impaired students received the best of quality education.
Some visually impaired students shared experiences which brought to bear the successes, including conducive learning environment in school by their colleagues who are not visually impaired.
The challenges they faced are distances from boarding facility to school and inconsistent means of commuting to school and thus called for support.
Parents also shared their issues regarding stigmatisation, inadequate funds as well as how positively teachers were helping the visually impaired students with their education.
GNA