Executive Director of Dominica Association of Persons with Disabilities (DAPD); Nathalie Murphy says more trained special education teachers are needed in Dominica to assist children with disabilities.
“I believe we need more special education teachers, people who are trained, teachers who have been given the necessary support to work and to teach these children … so if we have more teachers who are qualified in that area that would be a plus, that would be a start,” she told Dominica News Online.
Murphy continued: “People with disabilities do understand and as I said that support has to be there, the training has to be there. You may have to work with these individuals more and it has to be a constant thing, but eventually you will see progress.”
She added, “You have to start from very small because when these people become adults and they don’t get the necessary training, it can be very difficult for them to be assisted. When they become adults, that is where the problem really lies with the family members and they feel helpless, they feel abandoned…”
According to her, institutions in Dominica are lacking in terms of assisting children with disabilities but people need to start showing interest in getting trained in various fields so that more people with disability will be supported in the system.
Murphy believes that parents also have a part to place in the lives of children with disabilities.
“Sometimes parents are guilty of creating problems for the person who is disabled because they become so protective and sometimes over-protective,” she explained. “They think the person is going to remain a child all their life, but you know it’s a human being and the person develops … so the same training, the same discipline, the same attention that you give to someone without a disability, as much as possible you should do that to someone with a disability.”
She stated that the DAPD has been steadily advocating for people living with disabilities on the island.
“We are not in an organization that would have the services readily available but we advocate and we promote the importance of providing these persons with disabilities the necessary support, services that they will require,” she noted.
Murphy mentioned also that people with Down Syndrome need support was well.
“They should be given all the necessary assistance they require,” she noted. “In terms of the Down Syndrome, as an organization people are saying we only highlight physically challenged people but that is not true. We are an organization who caters for all the mental, physical, the sensory intellectual disabilities, but in our case we can only advocate. We are here to work in partnership, in collaboration with whatever institution, whatever agency is willing to work for the advancement of people with disabilities, no matter how small the progress can be.”
I for one have been happy to see the word ”disabled” replaced by the word ”challenged” whether it be physical or mental. ”Disabled” means not able. Observation has taught me that some of these people can become very capable.
On the other hand a person can sometimes rise to a challenge. We have seen a challenge bring out the best in people. The word ”challenged” has a ring of hope about it.
We need more colleges to offer courses to train special teachers for the mentally challenged including those with Down Syndrome.
Also we need our Government Departments of Education to carve out exciting new careers for people who will work with those who are challenged. They need to put training courses in place that will lead to a suitable designation or title making the career as attractive as possible.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. International Evangelist.
The DSC students and also high school students should be encouraged to take special education courses.
Working with the physically challenged could be difficult and requires patience but it is rewarding, knowing that they are performing a godly act (not only for a salary). They must also have a loving and compassionate heart.
A friend of mine who works at such a place in Toronto informed me of the situation. She has weathered the storm. She is being paid and she has done her utmost to fulfill her obligation capably for some years. She has never complained about her job and about them. There are rules and regulations to adhere to and government ones. While at work she is kept busy.
God bless those who receive the calling to work among the disabled as we once referred to them. Today, they are called physically challenged.
We must always keep in mind they are people too. They have feelings and must be treated humanely as we expect the same from others.