Nine year physically challenged girl denied access to school
Nine year physically challenged girl denied access to school
July 11, 2022
Trish T. Chari
Choice News Africa
Harare – Education remains a sacred place for many children with disabilities in Zimbabwe, despite efforts being done in many circles of life to better the lives of persons with disabilities. It is still a mammoth task as many children with disabilities remain horrified, by discrimination from the societies that must shelter them.
Nyasha Braudi Mapuranga of Dzivarasekwa 3 in Harare, is a latest victim of educational denial, by the school head of a school that is just a stone’s throw from her residence where she lives with her parents.
The mother Roswitar Bohla and husband Edward Mapuranga, are crying foul over the discrimination of their daughter, by a nearby Gombo primary school, which is a stone’s throw from their residence.
The nine-year old girl who was amputated, after reacting to the measles-rubella immunisation treatment, has been staying home after several protracted efforts to get enrolled at a nearby school hit a brick wall as the school authority, shunned her disability.
Nkomwa Foundation Trust Executive director, Pick Nkomwa got a tip off from the members of the community, and travelled to Harare from his Gwanda base, to establish and ascertain the truth of the matter, which he came face to face, with the reality of gross abuse of authority from the school head.
He quickly phoned Senator Manyau who promised to visit the school, so as to deal with the issue, with the urgency and gravity it deserves so as to resolve it.
Children with disabilities are still being secluded in acquiring the education in their lives. It is very devastating that our societies still have people or duty bearers who view disability as a new phenomenon.
Good policies are in place and the government of Zimbabwe authorities are pushing for the leave no one behind agenda. All these efforts seem to be falling on deaf ears as discrimination is still high in the education sector.
According to the constitution of Zimbabwe, section 27(2) states that the State must take measures to ensure that girls are afforded the same opportunities as boys to obtain education at all levels. Also, section 22 (2) states that the State and all institutions and agencies of government at every level must assist persons with physical and mental disabilities to achieve their full potential and minimise the disadvantages suffered by them.
All this cannot be said without mentioning the painful story of Nyasha Braudi Mapuranga of Dzivarasekwa 3 in Harare. An energetic young girl who developed disability in 2016 after reaction to medicines.
Sadly, she had to be amputated and now using a wheelchair for all her mobility. Having been given the opportunity to be at school from early childhood level to grade 3 at a private school, her predicament came after her parents lost their jobs, forcing them to withdraw her from the private school that was her only place of acceptance.
During the period her parents were both working and managing to cater for her school essentials, she could go to school on her wheelchair and learn with others.
As life is unpredictable, the father got sick and the mother’s employment was terminated during the Covid19 era. The only thing that happened was to change the school from a private to a public school.
The family was hopeful that the transition was going to be easier. Little did they know that it was the end of their child’s educational career.
“When the life conditions were favourable to my family, I managed to take my child to a private school without any challenges. All changed when my husband fell sick, and I was also retrenched from my employment due to the prolonged covid19 lockdown, as many companies including where I was working trimmed their workforce, living me without a job.
We could not manage to take our child to a private school. I could not easily accept what happened to my daughter. I never believed one day she could be a wheelchair user. I am still stressed and whenever I think of that I start crying, asking myself what would be the future of my daughter. Will she do anything in life, in case I die who will cater for her? All these questions haunt me internally,” Said Mr Braudi.
The family bemoaned lack of acceptance of their child in public schools as they are told the school facilities cannot accommodate her condition. On all the reasons, Nyasha is being denied her dream because of user-friendly infrastructure that the head said was not available at the public educational institute and the school is just across the road a distance of 300 metres.
“We have been to more than 5 schools in our area and all schools are not accepting our daughter. This continuously traumatise us and we are stuck with nowhere to go. Our daughter is very intelligent and I tried to negotiate with other school authorities that I can come and assist her whenever the need arise since I am no longer formally employed. All this was never accepted.” she said in tears.
Nyasha is a project participant of the Nkomwa Foundation Trust. Speaking during a home visit to Mapuranga Family, Nkomwa Foundation Trust founder, Pick Nkomwa assured the family that efforts are being carried to engage relevant stakeholders on the case.
“This is just tip of the iceberg to various challenges children with disabilities encounter in fulfilling their dream. Your daughter will be somebody in life and I continue giving her support. Attitudinal barrier is a thorn to the lives of persons with disabilities. Relevant engagements and consultations are key before denying children with disabilities access to education. Education is a right to every citizen.” Said Nkomwa.
Nyasha Braudi needs a wheelchair replacement to enable her mobility and also a bilateral above knee prosthesis sach foot.