Kicukiro: HVP Gatagara/Gikondo Celebrate International day of persons with disabilities

The International day of persons with disabilities was celebrated today with the theme of “Leadership and participation of persons with disabilities toward an inclusive, accessible, and sustainable post-COVID-19 world”.

This annual celebration of every 3rd December each year, the event of today held at HVP Gatagara in Gikondo sector for Kicukiro district level with children with disabilities.

In celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, some representatives of families with disabilities point out that there are still obstacles to the education of children with disabilities and are therefore being asked to be monitored in schools in a special way.

Nteziryayo Jean Pierre the director of the HVP Gatagara Center for People with Disabilities Gikondo, says that although there are changes in the lives of children with disabilities, they need to set up a budget to help them learn in a special way.

“For children with disabilities for the time to go to school, many of whom are unable to attend school, and their numbers are not known because they are not monitored early for their specific problems. The vast majority of children who drop out of school are people with intellectual disabilities, especially those with mental disabilities. Most children with mental disabilities should not be taught with children with abilities because of the challenges they face before they not be addressed”. Jean Pierre Said.

“These barriers include the number of teachers compared to the number of students required to teach, in Normal Schools we have one teacher per forty students, including a child with a mental health, deaf, dumb or other disability, that would be difficult for him or her to have the opportunity to study in that school. We ask you to advocate for children with learning disabilities.” He added

Some parents with children in foster care, say there is still a lot to be done for children with disabilities.

Shyiramunda Jerome Said: “Children with disabilities find it difficult to imitate others, and even in the medical field, there is a lot that the government has helped us with but they can still help us to set up a special learning system because they are not equal to the ability of others without disabilities”.

Adalbert Rukebanuka, Kicukiro District Deputy Executive Administrator (DDEA),says they are trying to resolve some issues but there are others that require advocacy.

“Problems of people with disabilities in the District are being addressed by some of the existing capabilities, but there is a need for advocacy that cannot be solved immediately at the same time, we will continue to advocate for those issues, Some of them have been shown to us as expensive utensils and health insurance that cannot be paid for. All of which we will continue to advocate for and also study for health insurance coverage. moreover, with regard to schools, the number of teachers for students with disabilities must also be large and with special skills, not only because they have learned to teach but also have the advantage of having skills in teaching people with various disabilities. So in collaboration with the Ministry of Education we will continue to advocate for this.”

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebration in Rwanda has been organized across the country at centers for people with disabilities in collaboration with the European Union and other international non-governmental organizations sponsoring Rwandan institutions for people with disabilities.

And this day is about promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities at every level of society and development, and to raise awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of political, social, economic, and cultural life.