Rwanda : Qualified teachers needed for disabled persons
Schools for disabled persons in Rulindo and Rusizi district, in the Northern and Western Provinces of Rwanda has appeal to government to solicit for professionals to teach in the schools and harmonise the education curriculum.
Donatien Rurangwa, the head teacher of Groupe Scolaire de Rukindi, said that the school employs teachers who don’t have skills and knowledge to teach students with disabilities, especially the skills in sign language.
He said that this has affected the academic performance of the students and government should do something to support the school education standards and the future of education for the disabled students.
He pointed out that it is very expensive to hire qualified teachers and the school cannot manage taking on the costs thus calling for the government to step in.
While Regina Mukankuranga, the Head of St. Francis Pacis in Rusizi District, said the school currently lacks a standard curriculum for the disabled and most of the children living with disabilities also lack recreational facilities.
She said that each school in the area uses its own curriculum and this has also affected the district in attaining its education development goals.
In a meeting with the educationalists, on June 28, 2012, the State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Mathias Harebamungu said that the government was aware of the problem in the schools and they were working towards addressing it.
Dr Harebamungu stated that the government has integrated programmes of education for the disabled in all Teacher Training Centres and other institutions of education such as; Kigali Institute of Education and colleges of education across the country as a way of addressing the problem.
