collaboration with other stakeholders provide special training to teachers on
reasonable accommodation of the needs of persons with disabilities.
309. The amici curiae submit that as a party to various international instruments,
the Respondent State is obligated to advance the realization and enjoyment
of the right to education of PWA. The obligations include: provide
reasonable accommodation for the management of visual impairments and
vulnerability to skin cancer; put in place policies and programmes to tackle
attitudinal barriers and adequately protect children with albinism from
attacks while going to school, and on their way back from school.
310. The amici further submit that the access to education by children with
albinism should be holistic such that they do not suffer any kind of
discrimination. In order for the State to ensure that the discrimination does
not exist, the children with albinism must be reasonably accommodated.
The reasonable accommodation includes: large print learning materials,
assistive devices including glasses, extra time during exams and ensuring
that teachers are trained on albinism in accordance with Article 24(2) of the
CRPD.
311. The amici cite a report by Human Rights Watch which stated that public
schools receive some equipment from the government but not enough and
that schools are not adequately resourced to support students with albinism.
312. Lastly, the amici submit that the children with albinism are often confined to
schools for visually impaired children where they are forced to learn using
braille. This creates hardship for the children with albinism who are capable
of learning in mainstream schools if they are provided with assistive devices.
***
313. The Court notes that pursuant to Article 17(1) of the Charter, “[e]very
individual shall have the right to education.”
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