National
The state minister of disabilities, Hon. Helen Asamo has asked the ministry of education and sports to deploy sign language interpreters in schools to cater for learners with disabilities.
“MoES should explore initiatives like sign language online tutorials to navigate challenges of persons with disabilities, ” she said
The minister made the call uring a media engagement on the updates to observe the International Day of persons with disabilities due to take place on December 3, at Rutooma Secondary School Grounds in Mbarara. She commended universities for being key in designing products and gadgets to mainstream disability.
She also challenged the ministry of education to provide more user-friendly assistive devices and technologies that will ensure equity and inclusiveness to learners.
The minister further noted that the ministry will soon be rolling out some of the devices to different categories of persons with disabilities.
This years theme focuses on the need to raise awareness and exchange good practices on the importance of innovation as a tool to increase the possibilities for persons with disabilities.
She says that innovations help persons with disabilities in meaningful participation, expanding opportunities, and in easy sharing of knowledge. Therefore, it helps in reducing inequality as foreseen in the SDGs.
In Uganda, SNE students face challenges ranging from inadequate human resource (lack of specialized teachers), specialized schools and high cost of assistive devices such as hearing devices, braille papers, sunglasses to mention but a few.
Minister Asemo contends that the government should increase on the capitation grants given to the ministry of education in order for schools to facilitate learners with special need.
