POVERTY, the MDGs and INCLUSION.

A disabled person knows how the world views them, and that view isn't always kind. 'We are the only human beings who are faced with a constant barrage of physical, psychological, energetic and emotional pains, we are generally survivors. We aren't really living, let alone thriving. We are just getting-by.'

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have the potential to make life better for billions of people living especially, in developing countries. Yet when they were established in 2000, world leaders left out the world's poorest people - Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

Whether it was an act of commission or omission, the reality is; 82% of PWDs live below the poverty line, and they constitute the single largest group of excluded and chronically poor people in the world.

Fact still remains that, PWDs have consistently been discriminated against, as was shown by these world leaders in 2000. How could the world formulate an important policy like the MDGs, which include; putting all children in school; reducing child and maternal mortality; and fighting AIDS, malaria, and other diseases without a single mention of PWDs? Meanwhile, 'we are not poor by choice, but by the systems which these very leaders put/or do not put in place.'

'YOU disABLE US AND THEN TURN AROUND TO CALL US disabled.' If you construct buildings without ramps and elevators, being they; School blocks, Hospitals, Churches, Community Centers, Parliament House and even the Presidential Palace, and I am unable to access these places, is my inability to access these places because I am disabled, or you have 'disabled' me, by not providing what would have enabled me also access these facilities?

Meanwhile none of these goals which invariably have enormous implications for the disabled community could be met without our inclusion. We must not forget that; 'Disability breeds Exclusivity, and Exclusivity breeds Poverty.' Therefore it is impossible to half global poverty by 2015 as proposed by these world leaders, when the chronically-poorest group is ignored. The solution therefore to halving poverty by 2015 lies in ending EXCLUSION.

Education they say is the tool for development. If that is true, and I believe it, then education for 'all' will provide us with even a bigger tool for development.

Dr. Aggrey once said; 'if you educate a man, you educate an individual but if you educate a woman, you educate a whole nation.' But I strongly believe that; 'if you educate a man, you educate an individual, if you educate a woman, you educate a family, but if you educate a PWD, you educate a whole nation.'

The reason I hold this view is that, PWDs when offered equality of opportunity and accessibility, will become independent - invariably; welfare cost will reduce, caretakers will be freed from caring responsibilities - allowing them increase employment and hence productivity.

Persons with disabilities have equal rights to be members of society. But this is often not the case. In Ghana, young persons with disabilities will often not have access to school, jobs or social life. This is because no special programs and policies are put in place, to provide them with those special needs that will facilitate their integration. This ineptitude by officialdom is called EXCLUSION.

Youth with disabilities in Ghana are almost always substantially less likely to start school, and even if they do, have lower transition rates resulting in lower school attainments. Children with disabilities have a right to education and yet, they remain one of the main groups being widely excluded from quality education. Empirical evidence indicates that children with disabilities have even far less access to education than their non-disabled counterparts.

Regrettably, only 6% of PWDs in Ghana are in school. This is loathsome, and regrettable, and it is for this reason that I put out this article for an immediate redress by the powers that be.

We must as a matter of urgency, embrace the concept of INCLUSION. This brilliant concept called INCLUSION or Inclusive Education is the way forward for Ghana.

Inclusion simply means; the acceptance of all people regardless of their differences - able, disabled, or evens an albino. It is about appreciating people for who they are because although we all appear uniquely-different, we are one people. Inclusion also allows people to appreciate the differences in each other, by recognizing their potentials as crucial, for nation building.

All these would be achieved through the framework of Inclusive Education; where all students are placed in the general education classroom instead of the special education classroom. The idea mainly is to eliminate the need for a special education classroom. The special education concept does not allow for socialization, and therefore alienates the disabled from the rest of society. This is mainly due to the fact that, pupils and students of these special schools learn only what is necessary to them.

For example, what is the use if the sign language could be used only among the deaf? And only the visually impaired could use the Braille?

But with the adoption of Inclusion, non-disabled children will learn to use the Sign language and to read the Braille as well. The deaf will also in addition to their sign language, learn to write and interpret the Braille. This will break the barriers of communication and accessibility, and enhance group study which will inure to their collective benefits.

Now, these kids who are diversely-different and also our future leaders, will grow up to become 'functionally literate.' Superstition and stigmatization which are prevalent in the rural areas, where traditions and religious beliefs actually make people believe that having a disabled child is a form of a curse, will be eliminated.

Communication will no longer become a barrier in their future endeavors as Doctors, Lawyers, Judges, Teachers, Journalists etc.

The concept of blending various skills and characteristics will also benefit both the disabled and non-disabled, who will in adult life, experience people of diverse backgrounds, talents and abilities.

We cannot continue to allow disabled students learn and practice these roles in isolation and then later integrated them into the adult workplace and societal community, and expect harmony. This is an illusion; it will rather result in hegemony against PWDs.

Full inclusion will therefore allow disabled students to be part of the heterogeneous environment, teach social skills, show creativity and provide opportunities to build friendships with their non-disabled colleagues.

I therefore humbly suggest that immediately steps be taken to redesign and redevelop our existing institutions of learning, to bring about accessibility to the disabled. New specialist facilities must also be built to augment the existing ones. This will help train a lot more specialist teachers, to take care of pupils and students with special needs.

This is a MUST, regardless of how much it will cost the state. After all, God in his uninterruptible kindness to Ghana has blessed us with oil. My submission therefore is that a portion of what is referred to as the Heritage Fund, be used to fund this all-important project. To the best of my understanding, heritage only means inheritance. And who says posterity prefers current leaders to leave money behind rather than great infrastructure? I have always had my reservations about the Heritage Fund, but that is a different matter for another article. Yes! So we either take that bold steps to revolutionize our educational system, to inure to the benefits of everybody, or continue to play ostrich and suffer the repercussions. The benefits of adopting Inclusive Education in the long run, far out-weigh maintain the status-quo.

Ghana cannot afford to wait for the 'marking-time' world. We have to create the momentum for the rest to follow.

This is the time to be bold; this is the time to do it, there isn't any other time. We can do it - Oh Yes we can, and I know we will.

GOD BLESS GHANA.
GAB NORGAH - PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED, New Juaben.