Out of school children with disabilities worry chiefs

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Chronicle Reporter

TRADITIONAL leaders have raised concern over children with disabilities in rural areas who are out of school as they do not have the means to reach learning institutions.

Even children who have assistive devices to move around fail to get to school because of long distances and poor roads leading to some learning institutions.

Some parents are forced to keep their children at home depriving them of their right to education.

Chief Bango from Mangwe District said the future of some children was being destroyed as they were not going to school.

The chief said just because a child is living with a disability does not mean that she or he cannot do well academically or have a successful career.

He said the cycle of poverty will persist if such children are not empowered.

“There are children with disabilities in my area who are just sitting at home and they are not going to school.

Some of them don’t have wheel chairs and they have to crawl around.

It’s difficult for such a child to crawl to school.

Such children need to be assisted with assistive devices so that they can move around,” he said.

“Other children have the wheelchairs but they can’t use them to get to school.

They have to walk long distances to schools and they will be using earth roads some of which are full of sand.

Parents then see it best for their children to stay at home instead of going to school.”

Chief Hobodo in Mangwe said there was a need for the children to get assistance.

He said if the terrain to schools cannot allow them to use wheelchairs, then they need sponsorship to attend boarding schools.

Chief Hobodo said most parents cannot afford to send their children to schools meant for children with special needs.

He said some parents were not willing to send their disabled children to school out of the belief that they would not excel.

“There is a need for financial assistance either for assistive devices and funding education for disabled children.

By funding their education, I mean that they should be sent to proper learning facilities that can cater for their needs,” he said.

“In some cases, it is saddening because parents and relatives don’t make efforts to send disabled children to school.

They rule out such children and assume that they won’t do well because of their condition.

Parents and guardians also have to take an initiative and change their mindset.”

Chief Sebasa from Insiza said while institutions were moving to make their buildings user friendly for people with disabilities, people in the rural areas were being left behind.

He said the terrain in rural areas and long distances to reach facilities remains a hindrance to accessing education and other services.

– @DubeMatutu.