Persons with Disability in Ghana, All You Need to Know

In my daily interactions with people, it seems they have little knowledge about whether persons with disability (ranging from kids to adults) have institutions they can be trained in. Most people only know the popular Akropong School for the Deaf and Blind. However, there are more schools for persons with disability in Ghana, and thankfully the numbers keep increasing. Most of these institutions were established by missionaries, whiles others were established because the founders had children with special needs.

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Persons with Disability Act

?In 2006 Parliament implemented the ‘Persons with Disability Act’, which aims to provide a legal framework for persons with disability in Ghana. The Persons with Disability Act itself contains more than 60 sections. The sections discuss topics that range from the “Rights of Persons with Disability” to the ″Establishment and Functions of National Council on Persons with Disability” and the ″Administrative and Financial Provisions”. In addition to this, numerous international instruments protect the rights of persons with disability.

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The Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations

The Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations (GFD), formerly known as The Ghana Federation of the Disabled, is a national umbrella organization of organizations for persons with disabilities in Ghana, which was established in 1987. The Ghana Federation of the Disabled (GFD) represents over 3 million persons with disabilities in Ghana. It is a civil society organization that brings together the key organizations of persons with disabilities in Ghana. GFD champions engagements towards assuring the rights of persons with disabilities to access education, employment, health, economic welfare, recreation, the built environment, justice, information and governance.

GFD currently has nine (9) member organizations which are:

• Ghana Blind Union

The GBU is the coming together of two bodies, namely; the Ghana society for the Blind(GSB) and the Ghana Association of the Blind (GAB). The GSB for its part, was formed in,1951, as an off-shoot of the Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind (later Sight Savers).?The main emphasis of this organization was to provide services geared at allowing blind and partially sighted persons to lead lives of dignity productivity and independence. In 1963, participants of a sheltered workshop, set up by the GSB decided that it was time that blind persons took their own destiny into their own hands. The participants of the workshop organized themselves into an Association and GAB was born. The main emphasis of GAB was to advocate the rights and recognition of Blind and partially sighted persons in the Country.?Thus both Organizations sought through their own activities, to improve the lives of blind persons. It was in this respect that , in April of 2010, both Organizations, GSB and GAB decided to merge into one unified and strong body that would ensure through the provision of services and effective advocacy, the total inclusion of blind and partially?sighted persons into every facet of?society. This led to the creation of the?Ghana Blind Union (GBU). GBU has steadily increased in membership and now has a total membership of over 10500 persons spread throughout the ten regions of Ghana. GBU has 143?branches ?and is still growing. Operating under the laws of Ghana, GBU has been duly registered by the Department of Social Welfare and the Register General’s Department

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• Ghana National Association of the Deaf
• Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled
• Ghana Association of Persons with Albinism
• Mental Health Society of Ghana
• Inclusion Ghana – a group of people with intellectual disability
• Share Care Ghana – a group of people with auto-immune and neurological disorders
• Burns Survivors Association – Survivors of various degrees of burns
• Ghana Stammering Association – Persons with various levels of speech impediment.

GFD also works with people with deaf-blindness and leprosy. The Federation concerns itself with crosscutting disability issues whilst its member organizations focus on their specific disability needs.

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Autism

Autism is a?lifelong neurological development disorder that affects the way a person views and interacts with the world around him/her.?Autism typically appears during a child’s first 3 years and it affects them in the areas of social interaction, communication and imagination. Autism affects each person differently and they demonstrate with a combination of behaviors that ranges from mild to severe. Children living with Autism also prefer sameness, consistency and structure. When a child has Autism he/she becomes over or under sensitivity to sound, touch, sight, smell?and taste.?

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Special Schools for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

·????????Dzorwulu Special School, Accra (Est. 1970)

·????????Garden City Special School, Kumasi (Est. 1977)

·????????Twin City Special School, Sekondi (Est. 1977)

·????????Castle Road Special School, Accra (Est. 1980)

·????????School for the Deaf EID Unit, Koforidua (Est. 1985)

·????????Three Kings Special School, Battor (Est. 1995)

·????????Shalom Special School, Nkoranza (Est. 1997)

·????????Community Inclusive Special School, Kpandu (Est. 1999)

·????????School for the Deaf (EMH Unit), Wa (Est. 2000)

·????????Yumba Special School, Tamale (Est. 2004)

·????????Community Special Vocational School, Deduako-Kumasi (Est. 2005)

·????????Gbi Kledzo Special School, Hohoe (Est. 2005)

·????????Catholic Special Vocational School, Fijai-Takoradi (Est. 2010)

Integrated Schools for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

·????????Rev. Fr. John Basic School EID Unit, Winneba (Est. 2003)

·????????Madina Cluster 1 EID Unit, Accra (Est. 2004)

·????????GCD Basic School EID Unit, Akwatia (Est. 2005)

·????????St. Charles Primary EID Unit, Bolgatanga (Est. 2005)

·????????Kasseh DC Primary EID Unit, Ada (Est. 2006)

·????????Archangel R/C Basic EID Unit, Walewale-Suguru (Est. 2006)

·????????Presby Basic School EID Unit, Agona Swedru (Est. 2006)

·????????Yilo State Basic School EID Unit, Somanya (Est. 2006)

·????????Nana Akuamoah "A" Basic EID Unit, Nkawkaw (Est. 2006)

·????????St. Joseph Basic School EID Unit, Obuasi (Est. 2006)

·????????Methodist Basic School EID Unit, Goaso (Est. 2006)

·????????Methodist Basic EID Unit, Aboom-Cape Coast (Est. 2006)

·????????Balobia Integrated Primary School, Navrongo (Est. 2006)

·????????Methodist Basic EID Unit, Adukrom (Est. 2007)

·????????Methodist Basic School EID Unit, Effiduase (Est. 2007)

·????????Nyamaa Basic School EID Unit, Sunyani (Est. 2007)

·????????Dansoman 5 EID Unit, Accra (Est. 2007)

·????????Anglican Basic School EID Unit, Ho (Est. 2007)

·????????Chicago Basic School EID Unit, Keta (Est. 2007)

·????????Roman Catholic Primary EID Unit, Nadowli (Est. 2007)

·????????Rev. Hooper Basic School EID Unit, Tarkwa (Est. 2007)

·????????SDA Basic School EID Unit, Dakpema-Tamale (Est. 2008)

·????????OPASS Basic School EID Unit, Kukurantumi (Est. 2008)

·????????St. Pauls R/C Basic EID Unit, Techiman (Est. 2008)

NOTE: Early Infant Diagnosis (EID)

Private Schools for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

·????????New Horizon Special School , Accra (Est. 1972)

·????????Autism Awareness Care and Training Center, Accra (Est. 1998)

·????????Haven International Austism Center+233-30-397-6973

·????????Autism compassion Africa

·????????Therakidz

·????????EPICENTRE

·????????Liztino Center for Children with Special Needs

·????????Reyo Paddock School

·????????Woodfield Manor Autism Centre

·????????HopeSetters Autism Center

·????????Osei Speech and Language Therapy

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Schools for the deaf and blind

Koforidua School For the Deaf

Wenchi School For The Blind

Wa School For The Blind

Demonstration School for the Deaf needs more facilities

The?Akwapim School For The Deaf

Tamale School for the Deaf

Gbeogo School For The Deaf

Ashanti School For The Deaf ?

The Volta School of the Deaf

Cape Coast School For The Blind And Deaf

Ashanti School For The Deaf

Mampong School For The Deaf

Ghana – Gallaudet University

Gbeogo School For The Deaf

Bechem school for the deaf

Cape Coast School For The Deaf

Savelugu School for the deaf

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Disabled people in Ghana experience discrimination

Disabled people in Ghana continue to experience various forms of discrimination and social exclusion. These occur despite the fact that there are several anti-discriminatory laws that are meant to protect the rights of disabled people and facilitate their participation in mainstream social, political and economic activities. The laws have been designed to challenge the stereotypes and traditional beliefs but, as it stands, the stereotypes and traditional beliefs appear to be holding out very well against the anti-discrimination legal regime. These add to the already deep-seated paternalism which disabled people have to live with. It is important that the state pays more attention to amending aspects of these laws and putting them into practice.

Do you know any school for persons with disability that is not captured in here? Kindly add up in the comment section.