The Disability Support and Services Unit (DSSU) of Takoradi Technical University (TTU) has secured educational scholarships totaling GH54, 000 for 21 students with disabilities for the 2021/2022 academic year.
The scholarships were secured by the GNPC Foundation, the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development (DS&CD), and the Students Representative Council of the university.
This brings us to a total of 45 students with disabilities who are on different educational scholarships at the university.
Head of DSSU at TTU, Mr Joseph Mensah Oti-Asirifi revealed these in an interview with the Ghanaian Times on TTU’s vision to enhance access to students with disability.
He again explained that, the efforts aimed at securing educational support for students with disability and also a means of encouraging inclusive education at the Technical University level, adding “and so, we encourage the corporate world and individuals to come on board this collective journey.”
He continued “Having realised that many of these students, especially the deaf, come from very impoverished homes and communities, where there is little to no financial support and care for their academic and personal needs at the University, it is imperative on the Disability Unit to take steps to reduce those barriers which hinder the achievement of their educational and career goals.”
Mr Oti-Ashirifi told the Ghanaian Times that the Vice Chancellor, Professor John Frank Eshun, had tasked the unit to ensure that there was adequate support for all students with disability at the university, and, that, he had taken personal interest in monitoring that vision.
DSSU, at TTU, he reiterated, valued the principle of universal access to employment and education for all staff and students respectively, including those with disability.
Again, the university believed that disability was an integral aspect of a diversified society, hence the need to create equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.
DSSU, Mr Oti-Ashirifi recalled was established in 2018 to provide special support and services for students with disabilities who enrolled at TTU and also provide academic counseling services, administrative services, mobility support services, personal counseling, security, safety and medical support services.
Others are funding support services, translation and narrator services, parents-university-connect services, legal and judicial services and rights and privileges services.
“TTU believed that disability was an integral aspect of a diversified society, hence the need to encourage self-determination to ensure equal opportunities for our students with disabilities.
The objective is to provide an academic environment that did not only enhance their inclusion in university activities, but, also increased their chances of success in their studies.
He stressed “The university shall be committed to the provision of a work and training environment in which staff and students shall not be subject to any discrimination or any form of bigotry because of a disability.
“Our vision is to be an excellent disability service provider across technical universities in Ghana. Our mission is also to provide wider access, high quality, strive for equity and recognition, and provide innovative services to students with disabilities. ”