Children with disabilities, street and working children from remote areas and those from ethnic or cultural minority groups should receive equal access to education in order for the nation to develop, according to Dr Peter Obeng-Asamoa, Director of Ghana Blind Union (GBU)

He said the government, Ghana Education Service (GES) and other stakeholders in education should treat inclusive education as an urgent matter.

“In spite of the apparent shortfalls and hesitations that occur in its implementation, inclusive education presents the most realistic and effective option for the total development of this nation,” he said.

Dr Obeng-Asamoa made the request at the 56th Annual Speech and Prize Giving Day of the Okuapemman School at Akropong at the weekend.

According to him, inclusive education meant the provision of equal quality education for all children regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional or linguistic challenges.

He said disadvantaged groups should not be taught separately which would cut down cost and remove the stagnancy associated with the physically challenged.

“Inclusive education provides a suitable platform for learners with disability to share the same facilities with their non-disabled peers so that everyone would have the opportunity to develop and benefit from the national resources and subsequently contribute to the development of the nation.”

Dr Obeng-Asamoa entreated stakeholders and Ghanaians in general not to discourage the physically disabled from using their God-given abilities for the development of the country.

He called for concerted efforts to enable blind and partially sighted persons to master in mathematics, ICT and other subjects in addition to the Braille.

Dr Obeng-Asamoa therefore called for a national policy to guide the implementation of the inclusive education system in the country.