The Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has urged the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations to encourage its members to register with the Students’ Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) in order to benefit from the government’s free tertiary education policy.
Speaking during a courtesy call by the federation, the Minister emphasized that the Ministry of Education is working closely with the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to gather accurate data on students with disabilities, as part of efforts to ensure the effective implementation of inclusive tertiary education.
“The Ministry is firmly committed to promoting accessible and equitable education for all, in line with President John Dramani Mahama’s resetting agenda,” Hon. Iddrisu stated. “The best of John Dramani Mahama is ahead of us, not behind us. To measure him, let’s measure him by today and what lies ahead.”
The visit by the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations was to follow up on campaign promises made by President Mahama, particularly the commitment to inclusive education policies and programs that meet the needs of persons with disabilities (PWDs).
In a significant move, Hon. Iddrisu announced the formation of a committee to develop a roadmap for implementing the inclusive tertiary education blueprint. The committee will be chaired by Deputy Education Minister Hon. Clement Apaak and will include the President of the Federation, two additional representatives (including a woman), and the CEO of the SLTF.
For his part, the Federation’s President, Mr. Joseph Atsu Homadzie, praised President Mahama for his dedication to the welfare of PWDs and appealed for the provision of assistive technologies and accessible infrastructure to ensure a quality learning environment.
Key concerns raised included the integration of assistive learning tools and the introduction of sign language at the basic school level, in line with Mahama’s pledge to promote inclusive education.
