Thirty teachers from 14 primary schools in the Eastern Province are undergoing a one-week workshop on how to develop disabled pupils through sports.

The workshop, which started last Thursday, November 8 in Rulindo district and ends today, was organized by the National Paralympics Committee (NPC) and facilitated by UNICEF.

The sports teachers’ training clinic is the third phase of the NPC-UNICEF project and is reported to cost Frw10 million.

The NPC-UNICEF project has also carried out related campaign in mini volleyball in more than 50 primary schools in Byumba and Mutara.

Two phases have already been done, each valued at Frw10 millions, which if added to the third phase’s value, it comes to Frw30 millions as total cost spent so far.

 "We want teachers in every primary school across the country to realize the fact that even the disabled have the right to sports and therefore should learn how to organize and handled them in various competitions,” said Dominique Bizimana.

The National Paralympics Committee president also cautioned teachers to desist the temptation to discriminate against disabled pupils during physical education.

Bizimana said the Paralympics Committee is planning to start Seatball competitions aimed at bringing together disabled and normal pupils.

"We are also training the headmasters on how to handle the dumb, blind and deaf pupils who attend their schools,” Bizimana said adding that disabled pupils are discriminated when they don’t take part in school competitions and other exercises.

He said that they (NPC) are optimistic that UNICEF will continue working with them but noted that it will depend on the results from the teachers and schools benefiting from the scheme.

Next week, teachers from 15 centres for the disabled are expected to receive similar training.

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