–for teachers to be equipped to teach PWD

PRESIDENT Irfaan Ali has announced that he is considering the creation of an executive training programme for the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and the University of Guyana (UG) for teachers to receive training so that they can attend to the educational needs of children living with disabilities.

This will be done following consultation with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS).

“We are going to work on a special programme; I’m going to ask the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Human Services to work on a special initiative, in which we will ask, the college and University of Guyana to come up with an executive training programme, so we can have teachers ready to deliver special needs as quickly as possible,” President Ali announced at State House during a meeting on Friday with parents of children with disabilities.

Additionally, the Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr. Vindhya Persaud said that currently, several women are being trained in professional care, and are moving forward toward home-based care. She said that there will be day and night care facilities across the country for children living with disabilities.

“Sometimes mothers work very late into the evening, and they have no night care facilities. So, we are moving in that direction, where you have care facilities for your children day and night,” Minister Persaud said.
She also said that the ministry will be subsidising this.

“We are also helping mothers to pay for the day and night care, once they are registered and licensed by us,” she related.
Minister Persaud also announced that the Difficult Circumstance Unit at the MHSSS is working on a ‘pampers bank’ as they are aware of the skyrocketing cost of diapers.

“We are also working on a ‘pampers bank’, so when you need pampers for your children, come and we give it to you,” she said.
Meanwhile, President Ali said discussions will be held with employers of parents who have children with disabilities to allow for some kind of flexibility in the workplace.

This was in light of a parent explaining that her salary was reduced because she arrived at work late after taking her child to school.
“We have to talk to the employers because I’m sure employers, knowing the circumstances, can work on something with them,” President Ali said.