DODOMA: THE Prime Minister's Office (Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with Disability) has prepared guidelines for identifying children with disabilities to ease allocation of their budget and provide them with basic needs and services.
The Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office (Labour, Youth, Employment & Persons with Disability), Mr Patrobas Katambi told MPs yesterday that the government is aware of the challenges that face people with disabilities in the country and that it is doing everything in its capacity to address their problems.
"The government is working hard to address various challenges that face people with disabilities. Learning infrastructures have been improved and we are still identifying children with disabilities for more support," he said when responding to a question by Special Seats MP, Mwantumu Dau Haji who wanted to know government's position in supporting children with disabilities after passing their primary school exams.
The MP wanted to know if the government has a special programme to support children with disabilities from poor families to enroll for secondary school education.
"Some of children with disabilities are coming from poor families who cannot afford to enrollment in secondary education, the learning environment and transport for these children are very challenging, I would like to hear from the government if there is any plan or strategy to support these children," she said.
Deputy Minister, Mr Katambi said the government has already released a guideline to all councils across the country to identify all children with disabilities in their areas and make sure they get the required support.
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He said children with disabilities, like other children, benefit from government feefree education policy which started in 2016.
He added that the government is making a close follow up to all children who succeed to join secondary school go to school and is making sure nothing whatsoever stop them from getting education.
He said the government has directed all councils across the country to make sure they identify children with disabilities and make sure they get enrolled in schools.
"All councils have been directed through the guideline to make sure children with disabilities are enrolled for both primary and secondary education," he noted.
The deputy minister said through the identification process, the government will be able to locate the budget to support children with disabilities and thus enable them to get education like other children.
He added that the government has also constructed special schools for children with disabilities.
"The government is strengthening special schools for children with disabilities, so far we have schools in Singida, Njombe and in other regions,"' he noted.
Moreover, Speaker of National Assembly, Dr Tulia Ackson said the government is doing a good job but still there are some children with disabilities who are not getting education as required.
She said some families were hiding children with disabilities while others were not capable of supporting them to get education due to geographical positions and their economic status.
