25 Nov 2013

Director of Department of Tertiary Education Financing (DTEF) Mr Marcos Maedza has called upon everyone to change the way they have been dealing with people living with disabilities.

He was speaking at the commemoration of National Day of Persons with Disabilities in Gaborone. He said people living with disabilities and their families continued to experience stigma, disempowerment, social and economic marginalisation while the cost of exclusion and discrimination was enormous in terms of lost opportunities and poor quality of life for individuals and their families.

“The cost includes lost potential for society given the social, economic and cultural contributions these individuals might be making under more equitable and inclusive circumstances,” he said.


Mr Maedza stated that government attempted to afford people with disability chances to access education, which include establishment of special support units, central resource centre, school support services, employment and participation in sports.

Mr Maedza further noted that young children with special needs have to be identified early and be provided with appropriate intervention. He said people living with disabilities want to have jobs, earn a wage and be included and valued in their work.
Despite this desire, Mr Maedza said the rate of people with disabilities who are employed remains low. ENDS