Dedicate a percentage of common fund to children with special needs – GES

Mr Ahmed Alhassan, Planning Officer at the La- Nkwantanang– Madina Municipal of the Ghana Education Service, has called on the District Assembly to dedicate a percentage of the common fund to children with special educational needs (SEN).

He explained that most children with special educational needs within the municipality are unable to attend school due to the lack of facilities within the schools in the assembly.

The La-Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal Assembly has a Special Unit, which has enrolled 37 children but only 10 of the children are regular attendees to school, some of the children come once a month, others feel reluctant to attend school because of the lack of facilities that support their education.

Mr Alhassan made the suggestion at the district consultative meeting to discuss the district education plan.
The La-Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal of the Ghana Education Service (GES) brought stakeholders in the education sector together to discuss the Annual District Education Operational Plan (ADEOP).

Mr Alhassan said that it was very difficult providing the children with SEN with the appropriate support they need in school due to the lack of resources

He urged the school management committees to continuously sensitise parents of children with special needs on the available resources at the District Assembly to enable them access it.

The planning officer also urged the assembly to support the schools to prepare for what he called “Education in Emergency”, citing the Covid-19 pandemic as an example, adding that most government schools were found wanting when Covid came, and schools were closed.

“Sometimes, there is floods, rains or certain emergencies that forces the schools to shut down, in such instances there is the need for an Education in Emergency plan in place,” Mr Alhassan said.

He said there was the need to train teachers in emergency preparedness to enable them deliver educational services during emergencies.

Present at the meeting were officials of the district assembly, community based organisations, school management committees members and parents teachers association, district education officers, religious leaders and some NGOs operating in the educational sector within the municipality.