Herald
17 May 2010
Herald Reporters
Vice President Joice Mujuru has called on communities to ensure children with disabilities get an education to enable them to realise their full potential.
Launching the Inclusive Education for All campaign in Harare yesterday, VP Mujuru said disabled children should be accommodated in schools with their able-bodied counterparts.
“Thus integrating disabled children into ordinary schools will help shape our society into what we would want it to be.
“I believe it will demystify and, therefore, deal with society’s patronising and negative attitudes towards disabled people,” she said.
VP Mujuru noted with concern that disabled children — particularly those in rural areas — failed to continue with their education because of a dearth in user-friendly infrastructure and learning materials. She paid tribute to work done by schools specifically targeting children with disabilities such as those run by the Jairos Jiri Association and St Giles. “They have helped a great deal in empowering many disabled people to live life their way, and for that I say thank you to them,” she said. VP Mujuru, however, pointed out that special schools had the disadvantage of alienating disabled children.  “If they are to pursue the same career ambitions as able-bodied people, those with disabilities are going to have to live in a world where they have to compete with non-disabled people.
“A number of Zimbabweans with disabilities have done well for themselves, working in various professions and pursuing various career paths.
“This was made possible not only through their hard work but by the educational opportunities afforded to them and also a supportive family.
“I would like to appeal to parents with disabled children to seize this opportunity and send their children to school and prepare them for future roles in a society with both able-bodied and disabled children,” she said.
The Inclusive Education for All campaign, initiated by the Leonard Cheshire Zimbabwe Trust, will benefit 1 000 disabled children from 21 Government schools in both urban and rural areas.
LCZT executive director Mr Ben Chikwanha said with financial support from Anglo-American Group Foundation, they would train teachers on inclusive teaching methods, develop teaching manuals, improve infrastructure and embark on awareness campaigns.
Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart commended LCZT for its initiative.
“This is, of course, a pilot project. My hope is that it will prove so successful that the concept of inclusive education will be extended to all our schools.
“It should also facilitate the eventual enrolment in these schools of other disabled children who are not attending school.”
Present at the launch were Minister of State in VP Mujuru’s Office Sylvester Nguni, the Advisor on Disability to the President Retired Brigadier Felix Muchemwa, diplomats and senior Anglo-American Group and LCZT officials.