By: Joseph Momoh, Reporter
Youth and children advocating for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have urged the Government of Sierra Leone and President Julius Maada Bio to accelerate inclusive education initiatives for students with hearing and speech impairments.
In a recent letter, the advocates highlighted that, according to international and national legal frameworks that Sierra Leone has signed, ratified, and enacted, students in secondary schools, technical vocational institutes, and tertiary institutions should have equal access to educational opportunities. This includes commitments outlined in SDG 4 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Persons with Disability Act of 2011, and the Basic and Senior Secondary Education Act of 2023.
Despite these legal instruments, the advocates noted that students with hearing and speech impairments face significant barriers in accessing required materials, particularly sign language provisions and interpreters in secondary schools and vocational institutions. The letter emphasized that many of these students cannot enroll in mainstream institutions after completing primary school due to a lack of appropriate provisions, resulting in their dropout from the formal education system.
Furthermore, research conducted by Sightsavers International during the 2023/2024 academic year revealed no students with hearing and speech impairments enrolled at the University of Sierra Leone across its three campuses. This finding undermines Section 14 of the Persons with Disability Act 2011 and SDG 4. The advocates have called for President Bio’s timely intervention to address the challenges faced by these students and to promote inclusive education across the country.
