Create disability-friendly environment in schools — Dr Naami
The Head of the Department of Social Work at the University of Ghana, Dr Augustina Naami, has called on the government and other stakeholders to provide more barrier-free facilities in schools to ease the movement of persons with disability (PWD).
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Dr Naami, herself a person with mobility disability, urged the government to prioritise the inclusion of PWDs in society.
She said access and mobility barriers made schooling more challenging for students with disability.
"Schooling can, indeed, present significant challenges for individuals with disabilities and access barriers can exacerbate these difficulties. I, therefore, implore the government to be intentional about disability inclusion,” Dr Naami stated.
The lecturer added that the government must ensure that the school environment was inclusive and safer for students with disabilities.
Ceremony
Dr Naami made the call last Friday when she inaugurated and handed over two disability-friendly ramps to Ghanata Senior High School at Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region.
The ramps were installed at the school's General Arts block to ease access to classrooms.
Another ramp was built at the school's dining hall to make access to the facility easier for the students with mobility disability.
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Providing access
Dr Naami enumerated the reason for undertaking the project which included facilitating a barrier-free environment for PWDs so that they could also enjoy their natural and human rights like everyone else.
She also stated that the ramps were a part of a project she had started; to build at least five ramps every year to improve access, inclusion and safety for PWDs.
"I started in 2022 by constructing six accessible ramps in five public basic schools in the GA East educational directorate.
Last year, I handed over eight ramps to the Ghana Society of the Physically Disadvantaged at Kaneshie”.
"This year, I am handing over two ramps to the Ghanata Secondary School," she disclosed.
Dr Naami indicated that most of the funding for the project came from her own resources and, therefore, appealed for public support in providing more.
“Most of the funding for this project comes from me.
I am appealing to the general public to support me in making the environment more accessible to pave the way for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in society," she stated.
Appreciation
The Assistant Headmaster (Academic) of the school, Wilson Kofi Lawoe, expressed gratitude to Dr Naami for the donation.
He also assured her of the proper maintenance and regular inspection of the facilities to ensure their sustainability.
A student with mobility disability at the school, Gabriel Buertey Narh, told the Daily Graphic that due to the absence of ramps “my friends always have to aid me to get to class.”
He added that the ramps would make it easier for him to attend classes every day. “I am thankful,” he said.
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