Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Clement Apaak

The Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Clement Apaak, has reiterated the commitment of President John Dramani Mahama’s administration to supporting Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Ghana.

Addressing Parliament to mark this year’s National Day for Persons with Disabilities, Dr. Apaak stated that the Government of Ghana requires support as it works to implement bold and progressive policies aimed at ensuring inclusion and accessibility at all levels.

“Mr. Speaker, the Honourable Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has announced the development of a mathematics curriculum tailored for visually impaired students to enhance access to STEM education.

Additionally, work is ongoing to establish a Ghanaian Sign Language curriculum to support deaf or hearing-impaired learners. Mr. Speaker, education must be truly accessible, and no financial barrier should stand in the way of a child’s dreams,” Dr. Apaak stated.

He continued: “Persons with Disabilities will benefit from free tertiary education, enabling their full participation in national development. The Honourable Minister has encouraged leaders within the disability community to register with the Students Loan Trust Fund (SLTF) to qualify under this policy. The Ministry, through GTEC, is gathering data on students with disabilities to ensure the effective rollout of this initiative.”

The Deputy Minister also disclosed that a multi-stakeholder committee has been established by the Minister for Education. This committee is co-chaired by Dr. Clement Abas Apaak and the National President of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD), Mr. Joseph Atsu Hormadzi, and is tasked with developing a roadmap for implementing free tertiary education for PWDs.

According to the Builsa South MP, the committee held its first meeting a few days ago at the Ministry of Education.

“Mr. Speaker, H.E. President John Dramani Mahama is committed to strengthening Ghana’s legal framework for disability rights. He is prioritizing the passage of the Persons with Disabilities (Amendment) Bill and the introduction of a Legislative Instrument to operationalize the reenacted Act.

Furthermore, the government is committed to partnering with private sector employers to ensure that at least 5% of their competent workforce is recruited from the disability community. This is a critical step toward economic empowerment and workplace inclusion. We are confident that many qualified Persons with Disabilities are capable of holding key positions within our workforce.”