By: Maa-Oul-La-Neine Tunis
University of Sierra Leone Establishes Special Centre for Students with Disability
By: Maa-Oul-La-Neine Tunis
The University of Sierra Leone (USL) has established a Special Resource Centre for Students with Disability at Fourah Bay College, Mount Aureol, Freetown.
The establishment of the Centre is considered by many people as a laudable move by the Administration, as Students with Disability mostly find it challenging to compete with able-bodied students in realising their dream of attaining tertiary education.
The Centre aims at ensuring the promotion of Article 24(1) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which provides for the right of persons with disabilities to education without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity ; Article 8(3) (f) of the 1991 constitution of Sierra Leone, which explicitly protect the rights of older persons and persons with disabilities in the area of care , welfare and educational opportunities; Article 15(2) of the Sierra Leone Persons with Disability Act, 2011 which advocates for the provision of special needs for persons with disability in an educational environment; and other local and international instruments protecting the rights of persons with disability in an educational institution. “The Administration will continue it strive in ensuring an enabling platform for Students with Disability on its campus, and it will also be open to working with Alumni and well-wishers of the college in promoting the issue of students welfare on campus,” the Deputy Vice Chancellor, FBC stated.
Speaking on behalf of students with disability at FBC, a final year student in the Mass Communication Department, who also doubles as the President of an Association of disabled students on campus known as Students with Special Needs, warmly thanked the college administration for establishing the Centre, describing it as a form of recognition for students with disability to be regarded as full constituent members of the College.
Fatmata Kamara also mentioned going through a lot of challenges whiles studying as a disabled students on campus, but however noted that the establishment of the facility would help ease most of the challenges faced by them as students with disability.”
She further pleaded with the Alumni and well-wishers of the College to work with the College’s Administration in actualising its dream of fully modernising the centre.
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