Chance for Childhood, GJA call for increased funding to strengthen inclusive education

Richard Opoku, Country Representative and Safeguarding Lead at Chance for Childhood, and Rebecca Ekpe, Vice President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), have urged for increased funding to improve inclusive education in Ghana. They emphasized that inadequate funding has been a major obstacle in the implementation of the 2015 Inclusive Education Policy, which aims to ensure children with disabilities and special educational needs can participate fully in mainstream schools.

Opoku noted that funding for inclusive education has consistently remained below one percent of the overall education budget, limiting the provision of essential support for children with disabilities. He appealed to the government to increase the budget allocation to at least two percent, specifically for teacher training and appropriate teaching and learning materials. He stressed that improved investment would enable children with different disabilities to learn alongside their peers in mainstream schools.

Ekpe also called for increased government funding, highlighting that the current allocation of less than one percent is insufficient. She argued that without sufficient resources, the policy remains unfulfilled. Ekpe cited statistics showing that over 80 percent of teachers lack the necessary training to effectively support inclusive education.

She urged journalists to raise awareness about infrastructure gaps in schools, such as the lack of essential accessible facilities like laboratories, toilets, and suitable furniture. Additionally, she stressed the importance of highlighting the plight of children with severe communication impairments, as about 1,700 such children are currently out of school.

Both speakers stressed the role of the media in changing public perceptions about disability. Opoku urged journalists to report on disability-related issues responsibly and sensitively, while giving affected persons the opportunity to share their own stories. Ekpe encouraged journalists to amplify the concerns of persons with disabilities and investigate exclusion within their communities.

She emphasized that local reporting could expose barriers that might otherwise go unnoticed. The organizers hoped that the media workshop would strengthen journalists' understanding of disability and inclusive education, enabling them to use their platforms to promote a more inclusive Ghana.