VISUALLY IMPAIRED NOT GLUED TO VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (PAGE 11)

THE PRO-VICE Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, (UEW), Professor Mawuto Avoke, has dismissed the perception that the visually impaired could only be glued to vocational education such as basket weaving, shoe repairs or soap and dressmaking.
He said it was important to assist the visually impaired to climb the academic ladder to enable them become professionals in the various fields since most of them were capable.
Professor Avoke made these remarks at the open day of the Akropong School for the Blind which also coincided with the 63rd anniversary of its founding at Akropong-Akuapem at the weekend.
The event which was on the theme “Diversifying Employment Opportunities for the Visually Impaired through Vocational Education,” brought together a number of old students and parents.
Also present were some dignitaries and representatives of companies such as COCOBOD and Afrodam who donated cash to the school.
The Krontihene of Akuapem, Osahene Offei Kwasi Agyeman 1V, who is also the school’s board chairman, said lack of health facilities and the prevalence of certain natural and environmental hazards had resulted in a large number of Ghanaians becoming blind.
Osahene Agyeman who is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Graphic Communications Group Limited said the seriousness of the situation was lack of facilities to cater for such unfortunate persons and that only two schools in the country, the Akropong School and another at Wa in the Upper West Region had been built to cater for them.
The School Prefect, Master Peter Ofori Amanfo in his speech expressed his appreciation to their parents and staff of the school for their dedication and able manner that had ensured discipline in the school and has made it possible for it to score 100 per cent at the BECE for the past few years.
In his report, the Headmaster, Mr J.S. Annor gave a brief history of the school since its establishment in 1945 and said with a humble beginning with only four students, it now has a student population of 315 with 53 teachers and 44 non-teaching staff.
The institution which was made up of a kindergarten, primary, junior high school, a rehabilitation center and also assists students to acquire vocations would be setting up a special center to cater for those with low vision, he assured.
He enumerated challenges such as inadequate dormitory facilities for the boys, lack of staff accommodation, water tanks, leakages of some of the buildings, and lack of a wall to ward off intruders and thieves who he said steal personal belongings of the students.
The Chief Executive Officer of Afrodam, Mr E. B. Takyi, who chaired the function appealed to parents to educate their blind children since they had retentive memory.