Workshop on children with disabilities held

Zuarungu (U/E), Oct. 11, GNA - A two-day workshop for 62 teachers on how to handle children with disabilities has ended at Zuarungu in the Bolgatanga Municipality.

Participants were taken through community based rehabilitation programmes causes, effects and preventive measures, symptoms and management of disabilities in the classroom, low vision assessment and preparation of Teaching and Learning Materials (TLMS).

Mr. Oscar Darko, a facilitator, noted that pupils with disabilities have equal right to education like any other child. He pointed out that the idea of educating children with disabilities separately was outmoded and said they should attend normal schools where they could complete with their peers under the tuition of specially trained teachers.

Mr Darko called on them to study the cause of disabilities in children, saying, "Every child has a disability of a sort and need special attention in schools".

Mrs. Gemma Kazaresam of the District Directorate of Education expressed concern about the stigmatisation of children with disabilities and urged teachers to educate parents to rather seek assistance to make such children useful in society.

Ms. Lilian Ayeko, a Resource Person, called for the intensification of guidance and counselling of parents of children with disabilities and the children to appreciate their situation and to learn to cope with it better.