By: Julia Heita
NFDP Youth Ambassador Lucia Enkono, who is living with albinism, said that most of the schools in Namibia do not accommodate persons living with Disabilities.
Enkono said this during a presentation at an engagement meeting with office bearers by the National Federation of People with Disabilities in Namibia (NFPDN).
“Although the schools are inclusive, they do not have the necessary equipment to carry out education.”
Enkono said teachers should be trained in dealing with learners living with disabilities.
“We are not asking for special treatment, but teachers need to learn how to deal with these people,” she said.
Enkono pleaded with the government to offer an educational program for parents living with disabled children to help instil confidence in both the parents and the children.
“Some parents have bright children, but because they are disabled, parents shy the children away from the world due to their conditions; some of these children can be doctors or nurses.”
She also called for sign language interpretation in Parliament, Government offices and placement and representation of people with disabilities in leadership roles.
NFPDN Youth Ambassador Maria Kakwiyu said that the government should work on making wheelchairs that are remote-controlled because sometimes people get tired of rolling the wheels.
“As for me, I have been stigmatised by so many people, and that forced my mother to buy me a hand sprint, but that doesn’t mean that everyone else can afford it,” she said.
Kakwiyu also said that people with disabilities need to be trained and recognised to take big positions.
“We only have two-person people representing us in parliament. We need more people equipped and take up such roles.”
The chairperson of NFPDN Matheus Hashoongo requested that the government recognise sign language as an official language or a language of communication in the country.
Hashoongo said this during his presentation at the engagement meeting.
