Free tertiary education: PWDs encouraged to register with Students’ Loan Fund
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has urged the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations to encourage its members to register with the Students’ Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) to enable them to benefit from the government’s free tertiary education policy.
He said the Ministry, in collaboration with the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), is currently collecting data on persons with disabilities to ensure the effective implementation of the policy.
The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing accessible and equitable education for all Ghanaians, including persons with disabilities, in line with the President’s resetting agenda. He assured that the Ministry remains committed to addressing the challenges faced by students with disabilities across all levels of education.
“The best of John Dramani Mahama is ahead of us and not behind us. To measure John Dramani Mahama, let us measure him today and into the future,” the Minister said.
Mr. Iddrisu made these remarks when executives of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations paid him a courtesy call to follow up on President Mahama’s campaign pledge to implement inclusive education policies catering to students with disabilities.
He also announced the formation of a committee to design a roadmap and draft a blueprint for implementing the tertiary education policy. The committee will comprise the president of the Federation, two other nominees including a woman, the CEO of the SLTF, and will be chaired by the Deputy Minister for Education, Hon. Clement Apaak.
The President of the Federation, Joseph Atsu Homadzie, commended President Mahama for his commitment to the welfare of persons with disabilities and called for the provision of accessible infrastructure and assistive devices to improve learning outcomes.
He also highlighted the need to introduce sign language education in basic schools, in line with President Mahama’s pledge. Key concerns raised included the provision of assistive technologies and teaching tools to enhance learning for students with disabilities, and the integration of inclusive practices across all levels of the education system.
