The Executive Director of the Ghana Blind Union, Dr. Peter Obeng-Asamoa has called on government to provide special learning materials for the over 1,000 blind students in various Senior High Schools across the country who have none to aid them with their studies.
Dr. Obeng-Asamoa, who was speaking in an interview on Starr FM on Monday revealed that the blind students have had to rely on their colleagues to read books to their hearing since they do not have access to specially designed materials.
He added that, they are mostly given the excuse that the cost of purchasing the special learning materials for the visually impaired are high, however this, according to the Director, should not hinder government from providing for such students.
“The cost issue is important but it shouldn’t be an excuse at all. There are persons who are blind and are enjoying Free SHS but do not have textbooks that they can use. They depend on their friends to read to their hearing…this is a challenge. It is an unfair situation to have a blind child getting friends to read textbooks to their hearing. Close to a 1000 blind students are in SHS as we speak. The blind students have not received books and or learning materials to make studies easy”, he said.
He also revealed that visually impaired have been blessed with enhanced senses but go through major challenges regardless of their strength.
“Our other senses are enhanced. I believe I have a very good memory and a very good sense of hearing. I can monitor about 2 to 3 conversations at the same time. I use touch to identify my clothes but most people cannot do that. At a point, somebody told me as I was wasting my time in school and that as a blind person, I don’t need to be in school. I pushed more to make things happen for myself and to prove the fellow wrong”, he said.
