Inclusive education at work in Karaga

For 10 year old Abdul Rahman Shena, from Moglifong community which lies about two and a half kilometres from Karaga School the support from her teacher has given her a firm foundation to pursue her ambition to become a teacher one day. “I am happy to be in this school, nothing disturbs me and the teachers support me”.

Shena was involved in a fire accident when she was a baby. Shena was playing with her friend close to where people were processing groundnuts. Fire engulfed the groundnut peels and it caught on to Shena’s clothes burning her in the process. She lost her left hand, which had to be amputated as it had been badly burnt and also had severe burns on her head and body.

With support from Sophia Bawa, the kindergarten teacher, Shena’s parents decided to enrol her in Kindergarten at the school. “The teaching and learn-ing materials helped me to teach Shena.  I made sure the school accommodated her with support from both teachers and students. She is a strong and intelligent girl, I have even seen her carry water like all the other girls in her com-munity” says Sophia who taught Shena for two years in Kindergarten.

Shena is motivated to study and looking forward to the future. She says she wants to be a teacher when she grows up. “I want to take care of my mother and siblings” she says. She graduated from kindergarten last year and when the school assessed her they realised she was intelligent and had picked up most concepts thus they placed her in the second grade of primary skipping a grade in the process.

Timoah Kunchire, UNICEF Education Officer says “our support to the school was meant to cater for students like Shena who need an inclusive and enabling environment to thrive despite their physical challenges. The teachers received training on inclusive education, super-vision and how to use the learning materials for the benefit of the children.  It is our hope that all schools in Ghana can support children with physical challenges to attain their right to education”