Invest in inclusive education for the disabled, Govt told

GOVERNMENT has been urged to invest in inclusive education for children with disability as the majority of them are out of school.

The call was made by Ishe Anesu Disability Centre administrator Ms Sphiwe Kaumba while receiving a donation from the Indian Women’s Association last Friday.

The centre, located in Glen View 1 in Harare, is home to 35 children.

It was founded in 1986 by parents who borrowed the idea from a doctor stationed at Harare Central Hospital’s Children unit.

Ms Kaumba said there was need for the disabled to be integrated in the Information, Communication and Technology sector and join others in the digital world.

“Children with disabilities are missing out on years of schooling because we systematically fail to meet their basic needs. This not only has an impact on their own prospects but on the welfare of their communities as well.

“Education is a basic human right and it is also one of the most important drivers of development. At our centre we need computers as well, they need to be wellversed with technology.

“It is a key factor in determining a country’s growth and our own work has shown that without education families struggle to escape from inter-generational poverty,” she said.

Ms Kaumba thanked organisations like the Indian Women’s Association for assisting the centre.

A member of the Indian Women’s Association Ms Malini Patel said the association visited the centre in the spirit of giving.

“The money raised by our association is distributed to centres with disadvantaged people, who would have appealed to us for help, for example those in need of wheelchairs and food, among other things. We aim to bring smiles on people’s faces,” she said.