The support, she noted, could be financial incentives or that the schools be included in government’s funded education programmes.
“We are hoping incentives are given to special schools to support our operations, because the country doesn’t have a lot of special schools, this is the first private special school that was established,” she added.
Madam Obeng said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of the School’s Open House visit, organised for prospective parents to be abreast of its system of education.
She said the school lost most of its external funding partners and donors after the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected its operations.
Madam Obeng noted that the running of a special school was costly, because the children were task-based, therefore without external support and funding it would be difficult to function.
Students enrollment had reduced over the period, she noted, and expressed the hope that the numbers would increase with the open house visits.
Madam Elizabeth Darkwa, a parent, expressed concern over the cost of special education in Ghana, making it difficult for some parents to enroll their children in special schools.
“In South Africa, the Government paid the teachers, so fees were low. Here, some schools charge between GHS 2,000 and 4,500. It’s just not affordable for many parents,” she said.
Madam Darkwa, thus, called for more support in funding special schools, training teachers, and recognising the potential in children with autism to help them achieve their dreams.
The New Horizon Special School, a non-profit charitable institution established in January 1972, provides day education for children and vocational training for adults with intellectual disabilities and autism.
The school currently has 68 students, 38 at its academics unit, 30 at its workshops.
Its mission is to develop each child’s potential to the fullest, to enable them to lead productive and satisfying lives.
GNA
