Schools teaching People Living With Disabilities (PLWD) have called on the government to find them specialised teachers and harmonise the curricula. They made the request during a meeting on Thursday with the State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Dr Mathias Harebamungu. “Most of the teachers employed at our school don’t have skills and knowledge to teach students with disabilities, especially the skills in sign language, and this affects the academic performance of the students. It’s in this regard that I call upon the ministry to put in place mechanisms to address this challenge,” said Donatien Rurangwa, head teacher of Groupe Scolaire de Rukindi, in Rulindo District.He added that it was very expensive to employ qualified teachers, pointing out that there was need for the government to step in.Regina Mukankuranga of St Francis Pacis in Rusizi District, said there was currently no standard curriculum noting that each school uses its own curriculum.According to Mukankuranga, most of the schools with children living with disabilities also lack recreational facilities.Dr Harebamungu said the government was aware of the problem in the schools and they were working towards addressing it.” “We have integrated this programme in all Teacher Training Centres and at other institutions of education like Kigali Institute of Education and colleges of education,” said Harebamungu.
