By Binta Jaiteh
Methodist Special School currently facing a lack of learning materials has appealed to the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and other donors, philanthropists to come to the school aid and support them with learning materials
Lucy Safor, principal of Methodist special school said the students of the school need different learning skills and materials for them to understand the lessons.
She urged Gambians to stop referring children with special needs as a fool “I believe they have the rights as other normal children and should be treated equally.”
She urged parents to help teachers in taking care of the children with special needs because some of them cannot clean themselves up.
According to her, the government should also help “since we are in a developing world, though the government cannot provide all through them salaries are paid.”
She said the school is owned by the Methodist Mission whatever help the government is giving, it is always sent through the mission and help differently.
‘’Some children want to access the school but due to transportation issue because the buses cannot travel to all the places due to long-distance,” she said while added that they will be sitting waiting and the parents cannot provide the transportation every day.
One donor in the name of Pa Modou said he has an interest in bringing a project called Love by Force under the theme Child Rights in The Gambia “because I feel there is a big crowd in dealing with children with disabilities,” and also “taking up big responsibility in creating awareness to understand the children and have loved them as special creators.”
He noted that they are human beings and deserve the right to everything like other normal children.
In brief, he said the organization was formed in 2017 and he realised that the same people that he is working with in Sweden are the same ones here in The Gambia.
“If I have to compare the Government of Sweden and the Gambia, there is a big difference in terms of helping the children with special needs. The parents came together to support their children and make sure that they are taken care of without feeling ashamed,” he said.
Anna Nancy Mendy, Director of early child and inclusive education of Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education said in the 2016 policy the ministry highlighted that every child has a right to be educated due to their special creation more learning and well-equipped materials should be provided.
According to her, the MoBSE provides buses for the transportation of these children “even though they are slow learners but not dumb as we think and differently able that we should expose them to skills which will help them to excel in their area of interest. We encouraged parents who have this kind of children not to feel ashamed in exposing them and can do something about the society.”