Michael Tsikudo, Head of Special Education Unit (SPED) at the Ho Municipal Education Directorate has observed that physical arrangements of classrooms must reflect the Inclusive Education policy, which begins next year.

He was speaking at the day’s workshop on Inclusive Education for Head Teachers of Basic Schools in the Ho Municipality, held in Ho on Tuesday.

Mr Tsikudo said where pupils with impaired vision, for example, will be in the classroom with the fully sighted, arrangement of furniture and other classroom wares must follow some order to enable all categories of pupils move around easily.

Inclusive Education brings all learners, including those with disabilities, to the same environment.

The workshop was under the auspices of Voice-Ghana, a Ho-based Disability Rights Advocacy NGO, with funding from STAR-Ghana.

Mr Tsikudo who spoke on roles and responsibilities of resource persons said a credible disability register was being compiled for the Municipal Area to serve as information base for planning and operations of the unit.

He expressed appreciation to VOICE-Ghana and other NGOs for their support, without which progress of operations of the Special Education Unit would have been minimal.

Mr Nathan Ankutse, Volta Regional Special Education Training Officer who gave an overview of the policy framework on Inclusive Education, urged teachers to be abreast with the laws.

He said it was illegal to turn away a pupil on account of that person’s disability.

Mr Ankutse said there was no research yet that had shown any negative effects of Inclusive Education.

Mr Alexander Mawusi Baodi, Ho Municipal Director of Education said no society could afford to leave its disabled people behind in its development efforts.

He said the Municipality was among districts piloting Inclusive Education Piloting in Ghana.

Lena EiBen, a German Teacher and PWD on a year’s attachment to Voice-Ghana, with pictorial support, gave the German experience in Inclusive Education, a process she said, was still going on.

Mr Tenasu Kofi Gbedemah, Board Member of Voice-Ghana, said the NGO since its founding had been striving to support People with Disabilities to support themselves.

Concerns raised during interactions include the general lack of resources and lethargy among teachers to try new things.