Zambian gov't ensures visually impaired students of equal education opportunities

The Zambian government said it would endeavor to address the special needs required by the visually impaired persons at learning institutions, state-owned Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) reported on Tuesday.

The government is committed to providing equal access to education and also to improving the quality of life of persons with special education needs, Ministry of Education permanent secretary Lillian Kapulu was cited by ZANIS as saying.

Officiating a two-day Advocacy Planning Workshop for Inclusive Education in Lusaka, Kapulu said the Zambian government would through the Fifth National Development Plan and the National Education Policy provide braille materials and other learning devices to schools offering special education.

She said the Ministry of Education would this year endeavor to increase grant allocations to schools offering special education.

She has since called for concerted efforts to address the needs in the education sector because she said government alone could not manage to meet all the requirements.

Speaking earlier, Sight Savers International country representative Joseph Musanje said over 7,000 Zambian children suffer from sight-related problems while about 38,000 others suffer from impairing eye conditions.

The workshop was organized to strategies in increasing teaching and learning resources for visually impaired students in the country, said Musanje.

Source: Xinhua