Education can lead to independence

As Barbados celebrates our fortieth anniversary of Independence, the Barbados Council for the Disabled reflects on our country’s achievements.  We celebrate this important milestone in our history, and reflect on the achievements of our “Father of Independence” Errol Walton Barrow. 

Mr. Barrow has been credited with being responsible for an improved education system.  He created the possibility for all persons to enjoy free education and Barbadians have thrived as a result of this opportunity.

Education for all should naturally include the education of persons with disabilities, but unfortunately this has not been the case, for many years PWD were not embraced in Errol Barrow’s expectations.

Recent statistics talked about 98 percent literacy, it appears that PWD did not count, the statistics could not have included, those who had been excluded from the education system, either because of prejudice, neglect, poverty or physical barriers.

In the main, education of children with disabilities was left in the hands of parents of children with disabilities or those individuals with a social conscience.  Their hard work has resulted in two successful private schools for children with disabilities. The Challenor School and the Learning Centre, both are still charitable organisations.  The Irving Wilson School (catering to the needs of the deaf and the visually impaired) was also a result of the partnership with the Lions Club, Barbados Association for the Blind and Deaf and parents. It is now an integral part of the national school system.

Inclusive education and continuing education are very high on the agenda of the Council and our affiliated membership.  Currently, children with “special needs” in mainstream settings are too few. 

As we move into a new era and we talk about life long learning and inclusive education, we hope that there is acknowledgment from the further education establishments that continuing education must embrace PWD.

As previously advocated inclusion does not mean that PWD fit into existing teaching methods or try to fit in, by managing physical barriers. An inclusive programme would also embrace experiences and issues impacting on the lives of persons with disabilities and putting value to their contributions. 

In recognition of the contribution that PWD can make, the Faculty of Law, at the University of the West Indies recently requested that the Council deliver a two-hour lecture to students on the Poverty Law Course.  The presentation included an examination of the current Constitution of Barbados and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We also addressed discrimination faced by PWD in the present Justice System and abuse of PWD in its different formats. The presentation offered students the opportunity to explore their own views about disability and looked at service provision.

The opportunity offered to the Council as well as to the students, presented the right set of circumstances to raise awareness, and a catalyst for the law students to include disability issues in their deliberations. Hopefully, this would also have an impact in future interactions with persons with disabilities. 

In today’s world, many situations can leave an individual vulnerable in more ways than one.  A disability presents a challenge at times in its own right, but inaccessible physical structures, ignorance on the part of some individuals and attitudes of pity add unnecessary burdens to the situation.
 
It has been the contention of the Council that everyone in society is related to, or knows of some person with a disability and as such our challenges are very much a part of everyone’s experience.

We all look forward to the day when all educational establishments respect the rights of persons with disabilities to access quality education with the same ease and facilities as offered to their peers without disabilities. This goal must be one of the hallmarks of our nation’s push towards “first world status”