Education for the ‘Disabled’, Social Justice or Human Resources Development? A Phenomenology Study of Two Rural Communities in Ghana.

Author : Dr Tabita L Akpeymensah

Abstract : Until very recently, the education of the ‘disabled’ children have not been considered in Ghana. Culturally, disability is regarded as a curse among Ghanaians, and since time immemorial, no parent would send such children to school. In most cases, the disabled children were kept away from the public eye. In recent times, Christianity, education, constitutional changes and international conventions are challenging the conservative culture of Ghanaians. It is now a constitutional provision that education is a right and a human resources development issue for every citizen, and for that reason, disabled children should be enrolled in schools. The constitution of Ghana advocates for fairness and equal treatment of all citizens. This paper explored the value of education of the disabled in terms of the African philosophy of Ubuntu, social justice and human resources development. The phenomenological study used qualitative methods of interviews and observation to explore the value of educating disabled children in line with constitutional provision and the African philosophy of ubuntu (humanness), for the socio-economic development of Ghana. The study found that human rights and social justice provisions in the Ghanaian constitution make education accessible to every child, ‘abled’ or ‘disabled’. It also found that education for the ‘disabled’ can make them socially and economically independent. The study has implications for social justice and human rights in communities where the ‘disabled’ did not matter

Keywords : Disabled, Human Resource, Social Justice, Human Rights, Democracy.

Conference Name : International Conference on Human Rights Education and Peace Advocacy (ICHREPA - 26)

Conference Place : Auckland New, Zealand

Conference Date : 29th Apr 2026