The Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) has joined the rest on the world in commemorating International Day of Persons with Disabilities yesterday ,December,3rd 2020.
This year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities is being celebrated under the theme, “Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World”.
ZANEC Executive director George Hamusunga says the theme reminds him on the need to reflect on the interventions and achievements in advancing the plight of persons with disabilities in Zambia.
“This day is very important to everyone around the world because it is aimed at promoting understanding of disability issues and mobilizing support for the dignity, human rights and well-being of persons with disabilities”, he said.
In a statement made available to media yesterday, Mr Hamusunga indicated that evaluation of what has been done is needed in order to empower economically socially, politically, and culturally children with disabilities.
He also amplified that, ZANEC recognizes that Persons with Disabilities can contribute tremendously to the development of the Country if adequately empowered with the necessary knowledge and skills through education.
Mr Hamusunga further noted that the premature closure of schools on March 20, 2020 resulted in over 4 million children being out of school due to COVID -19.
‘’In order to mitigate the loss of learning during the closure, the government started implementing alternative modes of education which included the airing of radio programmes through the Education Broadcasting Services platform and providing television education programmes on ZNBC TV4’’, said Hamunsunga.
He said, although these initiatives managed to reach some of the children, the majority of children with disabilities especially the blind and the deaf did not benefit enough.
‘’The challenges that have come as a result of the impact of COVID-19 on education have Amplified the need for our government to invest in remote learning modes that reach children with various disabilities, he said
He further explained that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities emphases on the right to education for children with disabilities.
‘’It is important to mention that through the National Disability Policy, the Disability Act, 7th National Development Plan, the government has priorities for the provision of quality inclusive education for children with disabilities’’, he noted.
He added that though, the problem has been in the actual financing and implementation of the policy priorities and the need to ensure infrastructure is accessible to children with physical disabilities.
Indeed there’s a need to examine what we’ve done for differently abled persons. Since the departure of the typewrite and the switch-board from our offices the curriculum development centre has failed to develop other skills for the differently abled persons. Even the craft centre at Fisenge has died a natural but painful death. The advent of multi partism has brought so many negative effects that when we take stock we have lost more than we gained. Our relatives have suffered neglect over time, even Professor Ngwale has stopped talking because no one listens. The Ministries of Labour, Community Development & Social Welfare and that of Education must come up with a program to look at this injustice. We can’t be a successful Nation to the exclusion of others.
Blame hh for this. He demanded his full mps to abscon from voting on bill 10, which would have given lots of protection and support to the disabled
@Ayatolla, your comment is good, you sound knowledgeable, you must be disabled too.
@Nostradamus, whether I’m disabled or not isn’t the issue. UNIP without even Bill 10 did a lot for this category of citizens. The current crop of leaders is too preoccupied with cutting deals and schemes of how to maintain power. They look at everything in terms of winning and losing elections so their view is blurred