Dr. Clement Apaak
The Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, has reiterated the commitment of President John Dramani Mahama’s administration to supporting Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Ghana.
Addressing Parliament to mark this year’s National Day for Persons with Disabilities, Dr. Apaak stated that the Government of Ghana needs support as it works to implement bold and progressive policies aimed at ensuring inclusion and accessibility at all levels.
“Mr. Speaker, the Honourable Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced the development of a mathematics curriculum tailored for visually impaired students to enhance access to STEM education.
“Additionally, work is ongoing to establish a Ghanaian Sign Language Curriculum to support deaf or hearing-impaired learners. Mr. Speaker, education must be truly accessible, and no financial barrier should stand in the way of a child’s dreams”, Dr. Apaak stated.
He continued: “Persons with Disabilities will enjoy free tertiary education, enabling full participation in national development. The Honourable Minister has urged leaders within the disability community to register with the Student Loans Trust Fund (SLTF) to qualify under this policy. The Ministry, through GTEC, is gathering data on students with disabilities to roll out the policy effectively.”
The deputy minister also disclosed that a multi-stakeholder committee has been established by the Minister for Education, co-chaired by the Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, and the National President of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD), Mr. Joseph Atsu Hormadzi, to develop a roadmap for the implementation of free tertiary education for PWDs.
The Builsa South lawmaker added that the Committee has held its first meeting a few days ago at the Ministry of Education.
“Mr. Speaker, H.E President Dramani Mahama is committed to strengthening Ghana’s legal framework for disability rights and is prioritizing the passage of the Persons with Disabilities (Amendment) Bill and will introduce a Legislative Instrument to operationalize the reenacted Act.
“Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to partnering with private sector employers to ensure that at least 5% of their competent workforce is recruited from the disability community. This is a critical step toward economic empowerment and workplace inclusion. We are confident that many qualified Persons with Disabilities are capable of holding key positions in our workforce.”