President Koroma's Government and the Education of Children with ...

7th August 2012 ????? 0 Comments

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Editorial by Christian F. Sesay Jr.

The recent appointment of a National Commissioner for the handicaps in Sierra Leone says this about President Koroma ? his interest in the welfare of the disabled men and women, boys and girls seems to lurch forward on waves of humanistic impulses, a sense of fairness, and an impressive leadership act.

The speed of the Koroma government advances in embracing the disabled in Sierra Leone is extraordinary. He has put a performance that has garnered him acclaims at home and in the international community. For example, according to Michael von der Schulenburg report on the Rights of Person?s with disabilities in Sierra Leone, he said this, ?The government of President Ernest Bai koroma has taken important steps in the wake of these developments and recently passed the persons with Disability Act, which integrates many of the provisions of the CPRD into the national legal framework.

The government of Ernest Bai Koroma has demonstrated sincere and renewed efforts and commitment to issues of disability since its inception in 2007. It will be recalled that in March 2011, parliament enacted the Persons with Disability Act, seeking to prohibit the century-old pattern of discriminating against persons with disabilities and achieve opportunities just as everyone else. We applaud the government for that groundbreaking achievement.

However, as a licensed special educator in the state of Texas, I do understand that the area of disabilities is replete with complex issues and needs. Therefore, I would like to dwell on one area for now: The education for disabled children in Sierra Leone. There is amplified unease about the need to provide effective special education services around the world. There is also evidence showing that most countries have either legislation already in place or are currently designing legislation to govern the provision of education services for children with disabilities.

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Until recently, special education has not been high on the list of previous government?s priorities in Sierra Leone. Past governments and their education ministries only paid lip service to the education of children with disabilities. They did not take direct responsibility in the education of people with disabilities until now. Thanks to President Koroma for giving hope and voice to the seemingly voiceless in our society.

The civil war came and left behind a stinging and tormenting sore ? thus swelling the population of disabled by a huge margin. In its wake, it interrupted the education of children and youth and left many of them disabled, separated from their families, and in some cases consigned to street shelters and orphanages. A Significant number of children were actively recruited as participants in the conflict and now, after being used and abused, are left to go through the excruciating trauma all alone-and as usual, they are not getting the kind of attention that will rebuild them and make a difference in their lives.

For far too long, we have stigmatized this segment of our population. We sometimes go to the extent of wrongly attributing causes for their conditions and tag them with illnesses instead of loving them. Those who perceive themselves to be members of a stigmatized group, whether it is obvious to those around them or not, often experience psychological distress and many view themselves contemptuously. The experience of being stigmatized may take a toll on self-esteem, academic achievement, and other outcomes.

Past and present governments reportedly sent majority of these children who had lost limbs or were blind to amputee or special schools all over the country. These schools have traditionally catered for all those considered to be outside mainstream education.

However, what the nation is failing to address passionately is the need for an adequate provision, which will guarantee that the needs of every student with special needs are being, met in our school systems particularly children capable of attending mainstream schools.

There are so many challenges in educating children with disabilities in Sierra Leone that the newly established commission ought to pay attention to: In a nutshell, a blend of poverty, lack of trained professionals, lack of and poor implementation of national policies on special education, lack of serious national support, lack of family involvement, and socio-cultural factors will continue to obstruct the progress of educating children with disabilities in sierra Leone. Unfortunately, the enormity of the disability issue and a severe threat currently facing the nation pose a severe threat to the future of special education stifling the outlooks of a speedy remedy.

However, the Ministry of Education, Social Welfare, and the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities may do a number of things to mitigate the impact of these factors. First, governments need to give more than average attention to special needs children, including orphans and other vulnerable children. In addition to enacting policies favorable to the development of education of children with disabilities, there is need to staff, equip, and provide adequate resources to the sector to ensure that vulnerable children and those challenged by disabilities are not left behind.

Also, in addition to providing the advocacy that is required for their children, families of children with disabilities need to collaborate with schools in order to maximize positive outcomes for their children. Families could provide home-based support that may be required in the training of children with disabilities. Schools can promote the effectiveness of this collaboration by providing any training to the concerned parents on how to assist their child at home in order to facilitate the efficacy of interventions.

Furthermore, universities and colleges may need to consider promoting the training of more special education personnel and improving their understanding of the issues at stake and counter the brain drain which has deprived an historically understaffed area.

Finally, governments need to accentuate the prevention of disabilities by targeting and providing preventive intervention services to children who are at risk for developing specific disabilities. Preventive services may include development projects that promote the eradication of poverty, maternal pre-/ peri- and postnatal screening for specific conditions, which may result in certain disabilities like blindness and mental retardation.

The effectiveness of these strategies have proven useful in many advanced societies such as the United States and Britain and can help children and families who are challenged by disabilities in Sierra Leone as well.

Now that we have a president who has the understanding and inner grace to embrace persons with disabilities in Sierra Leone, we can collectively make amends for all the injustices meted against persons with disabilities over the decades, and build a stronger future, inclusive of all regardless of physical or mental disabilities.

The author of this article and editor in Chief of the Sierra Leone Daily Mail is a certified Special Educator from the State Board of Education in Texas and works as a Special Education Resource Specialist for the Fort Worth Independent School District. He is a current doctoral student in special education at Walden University.

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? 2012, Christian Foday Sesay Jr. EIC. All rights reserved. Discuss this article on the Salone Forum Salone Forum

Written by: Christian Foday Sesay Jr. EIC.

By Christian Foday Sesay Jr. EIC

Source: http://www.sierraleonedailymail.com/archives/6509

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