WAEC asked to design special certificate for PWDs

Master Selorm Tsivanyo, a Senior High School student living with cerebral palsy has called on the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to design an innovative way of assessing students with disability other than the general examination.

He said disabilities made it impossible for a large number of people living such conditions to pass final examinations at the basic and secondary levels and called for “disability friendly” assessment schemes and special certificates.

Master Tsivanyo made the call at the launch of a survey report on “Including Educational Needs of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Local Government Budget at the Ho and Krachi East Assemblies.”

The survey was done by a coalition of non-governmental organisations in disabilities-Kekeli Foundation, New Horizon Foundation for the Blind and Lakeside Disability Rights Advocacy Initiative with support from Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC).

Master Tsivanyo revealed he was marked down by WAEC in Basic Education Certificate Examination and West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination because he could not write well due to his condition.

He said a good number of persons with disabilities also failed their examinations because they could not finish their papers within the alloted time because of their conditions of disabilities and appealed to WAEC and the Ghana Education Service to develop special schemes for PWDs.

Madam Charlotte Kpogli, the Economic Policy Analyst, ISODEC, who presented the survey report said though persons living with disabilities or their representatives were involved in the preparation of annual composite budget for the two Assemblies, they were not involved in the preparation of supplementary budget estimates.

She said the survey also established that there were no projects and programmes included in the 2015 Annual District Education Operation Plan, which targeted persons with disabilities regarding their education.

The report recommended the review of the law for the involvement of PWDs to ensure that they were involved in all stages of budget preparation and enough funds for inclusive education.

Madam Amanorbea Dodou, Acting Executive Secretary, National Council on PWDs, called on the Ghana Education Service and WAEC to be considerate in matters involving students with disabilities to bring out the best in them.