Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, flag-bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the 2024 elections has unveiled an mouth-watering educational policy aimed at supporting persons with disabilities.
Speaking with the Western North Regional House of Chiefs on May 3, 2024, as part of his campaign tour, Dr Bawumia pledged to eliminate residential and tuition fees for all persons with disabilities attending tertiary institutions if elected.
By reallocating some funds from the Scholarship Secretariat and the Ghana Education Trust Fund, Dr. Bawumia aims to ensure that financial barriers do not hinder the academic pursuits of persons with disabilities.
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“I believe that we have to support Persons with Disabilities a bit more… I want us to dedicate some of the monies from the Scholarship secretariat and the GetFund to provide free tertiary education, covering tuition and accommodation, to all persons with disabilities who enroll into Universities.”
The benefits of this policy would be manifold. Apart from removing the financial burden for persons with disabilities and their families, allowing them to pursue higher education without worrying about cost, it would also promote diversity and representation within tertiary institutions, enriching the academic environment and fostering greater understanding and acceptance of disability issues. Again, the initiative aligns with broader efforts to promote social justice and equity, enhancing Ghana’s standing as a champion of inclusive education policies.
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According to the 2021 Ghana Population and Housing Census report, persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Ghana constituted about 8% (2,098,138) of the country’s population of 30,832,019, a significant statistic from which qualified persons could access this policy.
As the presidential campaign heats up, Dr. Bawumia’s proposal sets a bold precedent for prioritizing the needs of marginalized communities and advancing a more inclusive vision for Ghana’s future. These, among other policies, have thus been couched in the context of his mantra of offering “bold solutions for the future.”
