Tamale: The Centre for Research and Development Alternatives (CREDA) has issued a call to action for the government to address the obstacles that hinder inclusive public service delivery, particularly in education and healthcare for persons with disabilities (PWDs) throughout the country. This request was made during a public services improvement dialogue organized by CREDA, with support from the STAR Ghana Foundation. The event aimed to disseminate findings from a citizens-led monitoring exercise that evaluated education and health service delivery for PWDs in eight districts of the Northern Region.
According to Ghana News Agency, the dialogue is part of ongoing efforts to promote equitable access to quality education and healthcare services, ensuring that no individual is left behind in national development initiatives. The assessment covered several areas, including the Tamale Metropolis, Yendi, Savelugu, Karaga, and Gushegu Municipalities, as well as the Kumbungu, Saboba, and Nanumba South Districts.
Mr. Abukari Iddrisu, Programmes Manager at CREDA, presented the findings in Tamale, emphasizing the exercise's goal to generate evidence that can inform policy decisions and enhance service delivery in schools and health facilities. The study focused on evaluating the physical accessibility of infrastructure, the availability of resources for inclusive service delivery, the professional capacity of staff, and the social inclusion level of PWDs within school and health facility communities.
Mr. Iddrisu explained that the methodology involved purposive sampling of facilities, conducting face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires, and analyzing the data through descriptive statistics. He highlighted that enrolment of PWDs in schools remains low, with progression beyond the primary level continuing to pose a challenge.
He pointed out that physical access to school facilities is a significant barrier, with about 60 percent of schools lacking ramps and more than 90 percent missing adjustable furniture to accommodate PWDs. Although many teachers have received training in inclusive pedagogy, approximately 76 percent of schools reported that teachers lacked the necessary resources to effectively deliver inclusive education.
Communication barriers further impact learning outcomes, with about 85 percent of schools lacking appropriate communication systems to support PWDs. The report recommended intensified community sensitization to encourage parents to enroll PWDs in schools, strict enforcement of regulations concerning disability-friendly infrastructure, and improved teacher capacity in special education.
The report also called for stronger collaboration between schools and external partners-including non-governmental organizations, health institutions, and community-based organizations-to mobilize technical and financial support for enrolling PWDs in formal education. In the health sector, the report emphasized the need for disability-friendly facilities to improve access to healthcare services.
Recommendations included strengthening staff capacity on disability issues, providing periodic in-service training in sign language, enhancing collaboration with development partners to access critical resources, and improving feedback systems to assess client satisfaction and service delivery.
Mr. Frederick Nuuri-Teg, Projects Manager at the STAR Ghana Foundation, reiterated the organization's commitment to supporting initiatives that promote equitable access to social services for holistic national development. Alhaji Mohammed Abdul-Majeed, Savelugu Municipal Director of the Ghana Education Service, commended CREDA and the STAR Ghana Foundation for their initiative, noting that the partnership would strengthen advocacy and improve service delivery, especially for marginalized groups.