The Dire Need Of Disabled School Children: *No Secondary School For Them *No Budget To Address Special Needs *Only 18 Primary Schools *Untrained & Unqualified Teachers
By Aruna Momoh Kargbo
The Performance Audit Report which looks into access to education for children with special needs revealed series of challenges being faced by disabled school going children noting that there is no secondary school for disabled children.
The audit revealed that there was no evidence of provision or budget allocated to address special needs education adding that the regular or mainstream school budget lacks specific provisions for special needs children as they are expected to benefit form the same allocations as abled children.
That a visit of schools in Bo, Makeni and Kenema shows that there are no trained and qualified teachers on special needs and that the schools lack guidance counsellors to support the children.
“Children in regular schools do not have customised textbooks, brails, computers, recorders, hearing aids, etc. to aid their learning. Interviews with these children, revealed that, their colleagues normally assist them after school to get notes, complete their assessment and examination at a later date,” the Audit noted.
That a sample of regular schools visited are not conducive for special needs children as the schools have no ramps, noting that out of 10,000 schools nationwide, only 2,000 are with ramps, classrooms are upstairs of the school building, school compounds are rugged and stony, inadequate WASH to cater for children with special needs.
That the Ministry of Basic Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) do not have any unit responsible for monitoring and evaluation in Freetown nor in the regional offices.
The report stated that in an interview with the Directors at MBSSE, they explained that limited number of personnel coupled with the unavailability of resources hinder effective monitoring.
The report maintained that even though government has made efforts to improve education for the vulnerable, priority has not been given to children with special needs.
