The Member of Parliament for Akuapim North, Sammi Awuku has made a passionate appeal to the House to address the urgent needs of deaf students in Ghana, following a recent engagement with students and staff of the Senior High Technical School for the Deaf in Mampong.
Delivering a statement on the floor of Parliament, the MP for Akuapem North described the visit—organised by Parliament’s Department of Public Engagement—as a powerful reminder of the need for inclusive dialogue and meaningful democratic participation.
“The encounter provided a platform for students living with hearing impairments to interact directly with legislators and provide them with a real-world understanding of how Parliament works, including ways through which they can actively participate,” the MP noted.
The engagement, which featured contributions from several MPs including Hon. Fred Agbenyo, Hon. Edem Agbana, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Hon. Shirley Kyei, and Hon. Wallace Pele, revealed serious systemic challenges affecting the education and welfare of deaf learners in Ghana.
Foremost among the concerns raised was the lack of a dedicated legislative framework for deaf education. The MP highlighted that the country’s only Senior High Technical School for the Deaf currently operates without legal backing to secure consistent funding, policy direction, and institutional support.
“This gap leaves the school vulnerable to inconsistent budgetary allocations, administrative neglect, and limited infrastructural development,” the MP warned, linking the issue to Ghana’s commitments under Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on inclusive education.
The school’s divided campus layout was also raised as a critical safety issue. Students must cross busy roads multiple times a day to access meals and classes, often relying on taxis to transport food between campuses—an unreliable system that has led to delays and hunger.
The MP called on the Ministry of Education, with Parliament’s backing, to construct a centralised dining hall and take steps to unify the school’s learning environment.
Teachers at the school shared concerns that the national curriculum does not adequately cater to the needs of deaf learners. Many lessons require repetition due to comprehension delays, and current assessment structures fail to reflect the learning realities of students with hearing impairments.
The students proposed key reforms, including:
Sign language-based instructional materials
Visual learning tools
Simplified content structures
Extended teaching and assessment time
They also called for more trained sign language interpreters, special learning aids, and enhanced professional development for educators.
“Parliament must ensure that inclusive education becomes a practical reality rather than a theoretical aspiration,” the MP urged.
The statement also noted that teachers at the school are overburdened and under-resourced, often providing psychological and emotional support without specialised incentives or adequate housing. The students proposed an “emotional allowance” for their teachers, similar to that provided to educators in underserved rural areas.
Another pressing concern raised was the exclusion of deaf individuals from Ghana’s justice system. Students recounted challenges in reporting crimes or navigating legal processes due to the lack of trained sign language interpreters at police stations and in courtrooms.
“This gap is a violation of basic human rights and contradicts SDG 10, which calls for the social, economic, and political inclusion of all people, regardless of disability,” the MP stated.
To address this, the MP recommended legislation mandating all public legal and justice institutions to provide accessible services for the deaf.
In one of the most progressive proposals of the day, the students called on Parliament to officially recognise Ghanaian Sign Language as a national language. They cited international examples—including South Africa, Kenya, and Uganda—and referenced Article 21 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which supports the recognition and promotion of sign languages.
“Such recognition would affirm the identity of deaf citizens, improve public understanding, and foster greater national cohesion,” the MP said.
To move from dialogue to action, the MP proposed the following steps:
Referral of the statement to a joint sitting of the Committees on Education; Gender, Children and Social Protection; and Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.
Introduction of a Public or Private Member’s Bill to establish dedicated funding, national standards, and legal obligations for inclusive education.
Oversight to ensure that the District Assemblies Common Fund for Persons with Disabilities benefits institutions like the School for the Deaf.
An infrastructure audit of special needs schools, with a plan for upgrades and staff housing.
A motion mandating legal institutions to provide sign language interpretation.
Annual reporting from the Ministry of Education on the state of special needs education, including enrolment, curriculum delivery, teacher retention, and infrastructure.
Mr Awuku concluded with a stirring call to action, urging the House to listen not only with its ears but with its conscience.
“The students of the Senior High Technical School for the Deaf in Mampong are not asking for sympathy. They are asking for fairness and equity… Let this House be remembered as the Parliament that listened not just with its ears, but with its conscience.”
“May the deliberations that follow bring about real change—not just for the students who spoke, but for all marginalised communities in Ghana.”
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