"Don't reject children with disabilities" - Director

Kumasi, Aug 21, GNA - Proprietors of Early Childhood Development Centres (ECDC's), have been urged not to discriminate against children with disabilities.

Miss Nancy Owusu, Ashanti Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare, pointed out that those with disabilities also had the right like all other children to education.

She said the disabled had the potential just like all children and must be supported and encouraged to develop them.

She was speaking at the 14th Graduation ceremony of 31st December Women's Movement (DWM) Day Care Centre at the Ministries, Adum in Kumasi on Friday.

The Regional Director said immunisation played a crucial role in the survival and development of children and called on parents to attend post-natal clinics and to ensure that their children were immunised against the killer diseases.

Mrs Comfort Mpeani, Metropolitan Early Childhood Development Co-ordinator of the Ghana Education Service (GES), said the GES placed a premium on pre-school education that was why it established the Pre-School Education Unit from headquarters to the district level. She said the training and care of little children at such Centres contributed to the building of a solid foundation towards formal schooling since the early years of the child are important in the development of intelligence, personality, moral and social behaviours. She said, "if families and communities can be helped to shoulder the responsibility for the welfare of the children, we shall be making a big headway to lay the foundation for discipline and a better life for our children".

Miss Mpeani called on Early Childhood Development providers to endeavour to charge moderate fees in order not to deprive children of the proper moral, physical and academic foundation.

Mrs Grace Asare, head teacher of the school, called on parents not only to pay their wards' school fees early and promptly but should also send their children to school on time and regularly and provide them with their basic needs.

Miss Mary Jantuah, Ashanti Regional Director of Day Care Centres of 31st December Women's Movement (DWM) Schools, said the prime objective of the Movement in putting up Day-Care Centres was to relieve parents from hardship.

She called on the Parent Teacher Association of the Centre to come out with strategies to raise funds to promote the development and progress of the children.