Government has been asked to consider recruiting more special needs teachers to curb the problem of inadequate teachers in schools.
Speaking with Malawi24, executive director of Disabled Women in Africa Rachel Kachaje worried that lack of teachers has contributed a lot to school dropouts and illiteracy among children with disabilities.
Kachaje said many children with disabilities have potential and passion to learn but resources such as learning materials are few.
“We feel that the education sector is not doing inclusive education more especially in rural areas due to negative attitudes,” she explained.
Kachaje pointed out long distances and inadequate disability friendly infrastructures in schools as another factor hindering the children with disabilities from accessing education.
She also noted that parents do not encourage children with special needs and instead of sending them to schools they lock them indoors for many years thus infringing on the children’s right to education.
Kachaje said there is need for more action on the issue especially in rural areas.
She added that her organisation has been working with different institutions in Lilongwe to make use of the funds they get from government so that children with special can access education.
