The Guaranty Trust Bank has commenced the 3rd edition of its annual 5-day Autism Workshop and consultation; The Orange Ribbon initiative, on 23rd July 2024 at the University of Professional Studies, Kofi Ohene-Konadu Auditorium.
As part of its corporate social responsibilities (CSR), GT Bank Ghana Ltd. launched the annual Autism workshop and consultation in 2022, in Accra; aimed at raising awareness of autism spectrum disorder and its management.
The 3rd edition of the Autism workshop was themed; ‘A Spectrum of Possibilities’ aimed at increasing social awareness of autism spectrum disorders, providing free professional family consultations for persons with autism, inclusive quality education, and improvement in the care and management of autism among stakeholders.
The ceremony witnessed an array of presentations from educators and health facilitators including psychiatrists, speech therapists, behavior analysts, special education coordinators, autism specialists, and psychologists.
Speaking at the event, neurodevelopmental pediatrician of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Dr. Yvonne Nana Ama Brew spoke on the environmental and genetic causes of autism and the early symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) while stressing the possibilities of ASD prevention in the early stages of child life.
“Autism is a disease that does not suddenly happen, autism is a developmental disease associated with impaired ability to communicate and to socialize with others……. if your child is not saying Mama or Dada at 1 year, that child should be taken to the hospital for assessment.”
“A lot of documents are coming out to show that if you pick your child before the age of 3, the symptoms can be reversed or for some children, it will get better but for some children, it reverses.”
In an interview with Univers News, the National Inclusive Education coordinator of the special education division of the Ghana Education Service, Rose Ofosuhemaa Darko mentioned that teachers are being trained in inclusive practices to improve inclusivity in Ghana’s education system, especially in relation to disability among children.
“Teachers who are in service and teachers at pre-service, we will need to bring them to inclusive philosophy so the pre-service people are being trained to understand inclusive philosophy and practices so that when they come to the schools on the job market, they will be able to work as inclusive teachers.”
“Those in-service teachers are also being trained on how to use inclusive pedagogies to teach the children, so very soon we will bridge the gap that will not have any teacher in Ghana who may not have the slightest knowledge of inclusive education, so it will come to a time all teachers will be inclusive teachers and they will be able to work in inclusive schools, and all schools are mandated to be inclusive since 2015 and so a school cannot deny any child access because of the child’s condition and if the school has a problem they will have to contact the nearest municipal or district office education office.”
The 5-day workshop and consultations which is set to take place between 23 July 2024 to 27th July 2024, witnessed an overwhelming turnout of parents, guardians, health workers, educators, and other stakeholders eager to impact their world through the orange ribbon initiative.
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Story by: Vannessa Nyasi Mensah | univers.ug.edu.gh
