Minister Muyingo: Cabinet is Working on  Policy for Inclusive Education to Students with Disability

Minister of State for Higher Education, John Chrysestom Muyingo has said Government is working on a Policy for Inclusive Education to particularly address the needs of students with disabilities. Minister Muyingo made the remarks while representing the First Lady and Minister of Education Janet Kataha Museveni, at the 1^st East African Conference on Disability Inclusive Higher Education at Kyambogo University on Wednesday.

“Government is working on a policy to address the needs of students living with disabilities, which is before the cabinet and will soon be approved”, he said.

Minister Muyingo said the Government through affirmative action has been able to access scholarships to over 14000 students with disabilities.  He added that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Government adopted the white paper for special schools on education for students with disability.

“Iam going to be your advocate in this struggle to ensure students with disabilities enjoy the same privileges and rights as other students in as far as education is concerned”, he added.

Prof. Eli Katunguka Rwakishaya, Kyambogo University Vice Chancellor, said the University currently has a population of 241 students with disability, pursuing different faculties.

“Kyambogo University has provided students with disabilities interpreters to facilitate their studies. In addition, the University has developed a disability policy and we came up with a disability resource centre to address the various challenges faced by students with disabilities”, he said.

Prof. Katunguka added that; the University has also put much effort in promoting the use of sign language and that the University has developed a sign language dictionary.

Mr. Edison Ngirabakunzi, the Norwegian Association on Disabled (NAD) Country Director, said his organization has a strong mission to support Kyambogo University to get the necessary facilities and infrastructure to enable students with disabilities access education without difficulties.

“NAD is currently engaged in supporting the training of teachers for students with disabilities at Kyambogo University. We support full participation of persons with disability in all sectors because we believe it’s more sustainable”, he said.