The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has applauded the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) promise to provide free tertiary education for persons living with disabilities (PWDs).
According to the Union, it is the constitutional mandate of every government to provide accessible and quality education for PWDs, hence the plan by the opposition party in its 2020 manifesto is a commendable one.
General Secretary of NUGS, Divine Edem Kwadzodeh disclosed that the group is satisfied with the NDC’s assurance to address the challenge of persons living with disabilities in the country.
“The NDC has committed to making free education available for tertiary students who are disabled, taking note of the fact that the Persons with Disability Act enjoins our government to do so; therefore we are very happy about NDC’s promises to address this challenge,”
he said.
What the Law says about PWD
The Persons with Disability Act (PWD) Law, (ACT 715) states that the state shall provide the necessary facilities and equipment to enable PWDs benefit from school.
The state shall not only provide free education to PWDs but also establish special schools for PWDs who cannot be enrolled in formal schools.
In the outfit of the NDC, it has promised to offer free tertiary education for people living with a disability if the party wins the 2020 general elections.
Speaking at the launch of the party’s manifesto at the University of Professional Studies in Accra, the running mate of the party, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang stated that the next administration of the NDC
“will provide free tertiary education for persons with disabilities” and “train more facilitators in specialized areas to effectively assist children with disabilities and monitor their growth.”