Chadiza District Network for Persons Living with Disabilities has asked the parents of the children living with disabilities to educate them. Chairperson Lazarus Banda asserted that the trend of hiding children with disabilities is disadvantaging them.
The Eastern Province wing of the organization called on parents with physically challenged children to open up about their conditions. According to the Chairperson, children living with disabilities are often denied access to basic services such as education and healthcare.
Chairperson Banda has condemned such actions from the parents and asked the parents to change the situation for the children. “We need mindset change from both the parents and communities so that we save the lives of these children.”
“Above all, when children are hidden in that manner, it is an infringement of their rights,” he said.
Chairman Banda said such actions are rampant in the Chadiza district. He added that parents’ actions are contributing to high illiteracy levels among children with special needs.
He, however, said that with the coming on board of Institutions like Zambia Association of Parents for Children with Disabilities (ZAPCD) and Onse Anna Aphunzile, many parents are becoming aware of the need to expose their children and seek places for them to be in school.
Banda added that there is a need to promote equity in upholding human rights regardless of social status. This gesture is in order to allow inclusive participation and dignity for persons with disabilities.
“At least 100 children with disabilities were taken to school under early Childhood Education through the help of ZAPCD, and we are happy that more people will benefit,” he said.
He however expressed sadness that some schools are not accommodative to the needs of children with special needs, including toilets, classrooms that have stairs among others.
“So far, only three schools are being utilised as they are more receptive to the children with special needs. Community members are also helping with the basics needed for infrastructure improvement at Chilenga, Sadzu and Kavumo Primary schools where they are putting up ramps and maintaining classrooms that the children are learning from,” he explained.
Lazarrus Banda has since called on authorities to ensure that provisions are made for children with special needs when building schools.
“Now that we have free education, thanks to the government, our children should not be left out of this great opportunity as we want to see a more educated group of people living with disabilities,” he stated.