The Integrated Education Programme (IEP),  mandated to support the blind and low vision children’s education, on Friday concluded a three-day training workshop for over 60 cluster monitors, classroom and itinerant teachers from Regions One and Two, at the GOVI conference hall, Kanifing.

In his opening remarks, Mamud Mboom Touray, executive director of GOVI, who deputised for the regional education directorate, Region One, told participants that they have a big role to play in the crusade to promote the welfare of the  blind and low vision children, stressing that they are part of the community.

“Some time ago, education of the blind was not taken seriously, but since the revival of the Education Policy 2004 – 2015, which stated that education should be for all and with the intervention of Sight Savers International, education for the blind has now become a priority,” he said.

“80 percent of learning is through sight,  but the blind have only 20 percent, which we have to couple with resources to capacitise them to come up with means and mechanisms that would allow them to be at the same level with other  people,” Mr Touray explained.
Mr
 Touray advised participants to take the training seriously. He also called on them to join GOVI and IEP in uplifting the status of the blind and low vision children in society.

For his part, Momodou Camara, IEP finance officer, said the government and Sight Savers International gave birth to IEP, adding that Sight Savers International (SSI) provides the funding whilst the government provides the staff and the offices. He noted that IEP is here to stay and that its mandate is to look after the blind and the low vision children. He also urged the teachers to filter the message down to the community level and to sensitise and dispel the myth and stigma that people have against the blind and low vision children.  Mr Camara also called on people to send the blind and low vision children to school, noting that the IEP is responsible for taking care of all their needs financially.

Ramou S Riley, IEP’s national coordinator, thanked the participants and advised them to deliver as expected.

Presentations were made on how to use the Braille machine and involving the blind and low vision in curricular activities, among others.
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rtificates of participation were also awarded to participants at the end of the workshop.