Involve blind teachers in educational reforms

Kumasi, Sept. 11, GNA - Mr James Owusu Takyi, Ashanti Regional President of the Ghana Blind Teachers Association (BTA) has called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to include the group in the educational reforms, especially the Information Communication Technology (ICT) Training. He stressed that, even though ICT training is compulsory under the new system, the blind teacher has not been offered the opportunity to acquire or upgrade his or her self in computer studies, just like in almost all the reforms.

Mr Takyi was addressing the regional branch of the Association at the first Annual Conference in Kumasi on Thursday. "Any educational reform, which does not reform the teacher and give him the needed skills would not be far reaching enough", he re-iterated. The President said "In the quest for the efficient discharge of the blind teacher's obligations to Ghanaian children, he or she should know the difference between the mouse as an animal and that of the computer."

In addition, Mr Takyi expressed grave concern about how their colleague craft instructors were gradually being relegated in the profession.

He therefore called on the government to revive the various blind training centres, which are at the verge of collapsing to enable them to get trained just like any other teacher. Mr Anthony Agyemang Berko, General Secretary of BTA congratulated the Ashanti Regional Branch for sustaining the group and urged the blind young teachers and graduate teachers to join the group to motivate others.

The General Secretary, however, called on the public to disabuse their minds of misconceptions about the physically challenged and help involve them in national programmes as is being done in the Western world and called on the media to help champion their cause. He appealed to the government to bring blind ICT centres closer to the visually impaired to enable them to attain training and increase their marketability on the job market. The Regional Special Education Co-ordinator, Mr Peter Owusu, said blind teachers have not been left of the educational reform since at least it has improved upon their conditions of services and assured that their other needs would be seen to.

Mr Oppong Amoah, Deputy Regional Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), encouraged the members to join GNAT for their own benefit. Mr Atakora-Asamoah Yaw Poku, National Vice President of the physically challenged and Chairman for the function in an appeal, called on the government to ensure the disability act was implemented. 11 Sept 08