ADDIS ABABA—Inclusive learning and rehabilitation centers need to be established for autistics to make them productive, give parents relief from the burden of taking care autistic child, scholar said.
People with Disabilities (PoWs) participation in education is very low in Ethiopia, but studies on people with neuro-development disorders are unknown.
Approached by the Ethiopian Press Agency ( EPA), Dilla University Special Needs and Inclusive Education Assistant Professor Ali Sani said that schools which are accessible, inclusive for PoWs and learning centers for children with autistic need to be established.
Ali, who is also advisor at Light for the World, added that like all citizens have equal right to access to education, children with autism also have right to attend education and get benefit from all services in areas they are living to make relieve their parents in burden of taking care of them.
In this regard, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women and Social Affairs and Ministry of Health need to work in coordination all levels to solve such problems in the national school system by providing reasonable support to make better citizens, Ali said.
“All materials for autistic should be available everywhere. If they get such support, they can change their behaviors and skills through consecutive training and follow up. Autistics need high support like inclusive education or curriculum with rehabilitation center. Thus, teachers should be assigned for to make them active and productive citizens as well,” he added.
He said, “Autistics children face two challenges in terms of socialization and communication. Thus, to solve their communication challenges, experts need to give speech therapy support and help them socialize themselves via create adaptive behavior with the society.” Real disability policy is on the way to be approved by ministry of education, and parents need to aware on sexual reproduction of their child with autism in order to create conducive environment and protect autistic persons from illegal abortion and injury
BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
The Ethiopian herald April 28/2024
