Don’t ask for sympathy, demand equity – Sammi Awuku pushes Parliament to act on inclusive education
During proceedings in Parliament on Wednesday, Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammi Awuku, made a compelling appeal for immediate legislative and policy reforms to improve the lives of students with special needs — particularly those at the Senior High Technical School for the Deaf in Mampong.
In his address, Awuku urged the House not to treat the issue as a call for sympathy but as a demand for fairness and equal opportunity.
According to him, the students are not asking for special treatment; they are simply seeking equity in a system that continues to overlook their basic needs.
Calling for Parliament to play a more active role in translating policy into practical change, Awuku proposed that his statement be referred to a joint sitting of the Committees on Education; Gender, Children and Social Protection; and Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
He further urged the House to support the drafting and passage of a Bill — whether from government or a private member — that would provide dedicated funding, establish national standards for deaf education, and make inclusive service delivery a legal obligation across all relevant sectors.
Awuku also called on Parliament to intensify its oversight on the use of the District Assemblies Common Fund for Persons with Disabilities to ensure that it directly benefits institutions like the School for the Deaf and the School for the Blind.
He asked the House to impress upon the Ministry of Education to conduct an infrastructure audit of all special needs schools and present a roadmap for upgrading facilities and improving staff housing.
In addition, he recommended that a motion be introduced to compel public legal and justice institutions to provide accessible legal services for the deaf, including sign language interpretation.
He rounded off his remarks by proposing that the Ministry of Education be required to submit an annual report to Parliament detailing the state of special needs education in Ghana — including student enrolment figures, curriculum delivery, teacher retention, and the general condition of infrastructure.
“Mr. Speaker, let this House be remembered as the Parliament that listened not just with its ears, but with its conscience,” Awuku stated passionately.
“May we be known as the Parliament that stepped beyond its comfort zone to bring smiles to the faces of deaf students across this country.”
