Heads of Special Schools calls for incentives to recruit and retain specialised teachers in Ghana’s special schools

The Conference of Heads of Special Schools (COHESS) has urged the Ghanaian government to implement stronger incentives and support systems to recruit, train and retain specialized teachers within the country's special schools. Approximately 70% of the current teaching staff in these institutions are regular educators who require additional training to cater to the distinctive learning needs of students with disabilities.

COHESS, acting as a liaison between such schools and entities like the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ministry of Education, notes that the scarcity of qualified special educators remains a significant challenge to providing education for individuals with disabilities. While recognizing government initiatives like free tertiary education for eligible students, COHESS contends that further action is necessary to tackle the substantial human resource deficit.

Speaking to the press, COHESS National Chairperson Rosaline Fimpomaa Adjepong highlighted the urgency of the issue, emphasizing that experienced special educators are leaving the system. She lamented that regular teachers, unfamiliar with specialized skills like sign language, Braille, and other communication methods for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, are struggling to adapt.

Adjepong appealed for the implementation of teacher motivation strategies. Specialized teachers must possess abilities such as sign language, Braille, and other communication techniques relevant to various disabilities. The timeframe needed to train regular educators in these skills can hinder the delivery of education, especially when schools are already understaffed.

COHESS also expressed concern over the limited presence of allied health professionals who assist students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Adjepong emphasized the absence of speech, occupational, and physiotherapists, which further restricts the comprehensive support that special schools can offer. At the 43rd Annual Conference of COHESS, these concerns were addressed, with Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Professor Smile Gavua, promising steps to resolve staffing issues in special schools.

Gavua affirmed the GES's commitment to providing necessary resources and improving the recruitment of individuals with disabilities into the education sector. She stated that inclusion was a priority, with the goal of employing more individuals with disabilities to serve as role models and mentors for students with disabilities.

Gavua assured that efforts would be made to make special schools more comfortable and comfortable hosting individuals with disabilities, fostering their growth as positive influences for others in similar situations. COHESS now looks forward to the GES's assurance translating into actionable measures to address the staffing gap, bolster specialized teaching, and ultimately enhance learning outcomes for students with special educational needs.