CBM/CBCHS fostering Inclusive Education to gain Steam across the National Territory
The challenges faced in the collection of data for pupils with disabilities will soon be a thing of the past following the donation of some equipment to the Delegation of Basic Education, North West Region of Cameroon. These equipment were donated by Christopher Blind Mission (CBM) through the CBC Health Services’ Socio Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disability (SEEPD) Program worth over a million CFA Frs. The equipment were handed recently to the Delegate of Basic Education, Ndong Wilfred in the presence of his close collaborators.
Handing the equipment, the SEEPD Program Manager, Mr. Jacques Chirac noted that “For Inclusive Education (IE) to be fully implemented in the region, there is a dire need to have adequate data that will be used for advocacy and inform decision making. This equipment we have donated is intended to be used to facilitate the collection of data on children with disabilities in the region. The CBC Health Services (CBCHS) is also ready to provide the delegation with the technical assistance needed to foster inclusive education in the region,” explained the Program Manager.
Elated with the gesture, the Regional Delegate of Basic Education noted that the action by the CBC Health Services is in line with the government’s vision to have data on pupils and students with disabilities in the country. Ndong Wilfred submitted that the CBC Health Services is a key contributor to inclusive education in the country. On behalf of the Minister of Basic Education, the Regional Delegate congratulated the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC) Health Services for the strong push to inclusion. He promised the judicious use of the equipment which will have an impact on the beneficiaries. “I have put in place a team made up of the Regional Pedagogic Inspector for Primary Education, and the Chief of Statistics amongst others to ensure the effective use of the equipment which we have received today comprising a computer, copier, printer, voltage regulator, modem, amongst others,” said the Delegate.
The SEEPD Education Advisor, Mrs. Forbuzie Bridgitte shared her experience on the short Washington questions for accessing children with disabilities which is successfully used in other countries. She said, the expectation is that the Delegation will use the questions to facilitate the assessment of pupils with disabilities during admission to be able to understand their level of disability and what will be required to help them effectively study alongside their peers without disability.
After signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Northwest Regional Delegation of Basic Education, the SEEPD Program is keen at ensuring that it fulfills its responsibilities specified on the MoU, reason why series of actions like donation of equipment, training of teachers in inclusive education is on course. All these intentional actions are aimed at making inclusive education gain steam in the region and beyond.
