Turning a moment of crisis into an opportunity for collaboration, the Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South, Dr. Kingsley Agyemang, has proposed a bold, community-driven approach to supporting special needs education in Ghana.
During a ceremony where he donated GHS 45,200 to fund feeding at the Kibi School for the Deaf through the end of the term, the MP challenged faith-based and traditional institutions to become more actively involved in supporting schools for children with disabilities.
“Government cannot do it alone. We have over 200 churches and 20 mosques in this municipality. Just imagine if each of them contributed something small—these schools would never lack,” he said.
The Kibi School for the Deaf had reached out to the MP after facing severe food shortages due to delayed government disbursements. The situation, if left unresolved, would have left scores of students hungry despite being in school.
The MP’s suggestion is more than rhetorical—it’s the beginning of a “community dialogue” he plans to launch to make the support of special needs institutions a shared responsibility. According to Dr. Agyemang, the model could include regular voluntary contributions from churches, mosques, and even market associations, structured in a transparent manner.
The headmaster of the school, Mr. Kumah Cephas, hailed the initiative and expressed hope that it could become a national model. “Dr. Agyemang has always stood by us. We don’t take this for granted,” he said, also celebrating the school’s recent success in reaching the quarterfinals of a regional science and maths quiz.
Municipal Director of Education, Mrs. Comfort Ofori Appiah, praised the proposal and added that community partnerships are essential to meeting challenges such as inadequate teacher accommodation and limited learning materials.
As Ghana pushes for more inclusive education under SDG 4, the call for community ownership of special schools may just be the game-changer needed to bridge the persistent resource gap—and restore dignity and opportunity to some of the country’s most vulnerable learners.
