Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) has pledged full support to students and staff members living with disabilities to fully access all learning teaching facilities at the institution.
This was revealed by MUST Deputy Dean of Students Ms. Maureen Kahima during a one workshop held at the university to train and orient faculty deans, heads of department and administrators about the university Disability and Special Needs Policy which was launched in 2016.
In her remarks, Ms. Kahima said that the training was aimed at finding how best the university can work to help students and staff with disabilities to identify their needs and propose strategies for providing facilities that provide a conducive learning and teaching environment.
According to Ms. Stella Dusabe Byarugaba, an administrator in charge of PWDs at MUST, the university management has embraced efforts to provide accessibility to infrastructure such as ramps in some newly constructed buildings, modified pathways and some students have been admitted on Special Needs affirmative action programme.
MUST used to admit Special Needs students with minimal needs or mild impairments and had no policy on special needs.
She further pointed on the challenges that are still hindering in attending to PWDs and these included myths about disabilities, breaking the bias about PWDs, lack of involvement of PWDs in planning and lack of fully fledged offices equipped and staffed to address disability issues.
The facilitator of the day was Mr. Oyesigye Stuart, a lecturer at Kyambogo University in the faculty of special needs and rehabilitation.
During his presentations, Oyesigye encouraged MUST to admit and welcome people with disabilities and reveal available opportunities to them.
“Students with disabilities are normal like others and they’re willing to learn so as they can create an impact on their societies so don’t discriminate them. Some categories of students with disabilities are easy to handle so lecturers shouldn’t be worried on how to deal with them. Both teaching and non- teaching staff should continuously be trained on how to handle PWDs. Students with disabilities are always among the top performers in their respective courses if at all they’re attended to,” he said.
MUST has a population of 34 people living with disabilities with 12 being females and 22 males. these include both the staff and the students with disabilities in vision, movement, cognitive, bipolar, mental health and albinism.
You must be logged in to post a comment.