Introduction: The Children We Almost Forgot

There is a photograph that haunts me.

It was taken inside a special school in Accra—I will not name which one—where a child with cerebral palsy sat in a broken wheelchair. The chair listed to one side. The child’s feet did not reach the footrests because the chair was designed for an older, larger student. Around the room, other children sat on mats on a concrete floor, waiting for a teacher who was stretched impossibly thin across forty students with vastly different needs.

That photograph, which I saw circulating among education advocates in late 2024, captured what special needs education in Ghana has looked like for decades: underfunded, understaffed, and forgotten.

But something is changing.

In the last eighteen months, Accra has become the epicentre of a quiet revolution in special needs education. The government has announced unprecedented funding commitments. Universities are training teachers in low-cost assistive technology. NGOs are renovating schools and launching sports programmes for children with disabilities. And a handful of pioneering institutions—like Multikids Inclusive Academy—are showing what inclusive education can look like when done right.

This ASJ feature investigates the current state of special needs education in Accra. We examine the government’s new policy direction, name the schools and organisations leading the way, and give parents practical guidance on finding support for their children. Because every child—every single child—deserves a classroom where they belong.

The Numbers That Demand Attention

Let us start with the scale of the challenge.

According to the Ministry of Education, there are over 9,000 students with special needs currently enrolled in schools across Ghana . These students are served by 39 Integrated and Special Needs Schools nationwide . The majority of these institutions are concentrated in and around Accra, which hosts the highest density of special education resources in the country.

But 9,000 is likely an undercount. Many children with disabilities remain at home, never enrolled in any school. Others are in mainstream schools that lack the capacity to support them, sitting silently in classrooms where teachers do not know how to reach them.

The cost of supporting each child properly is significant. Currently, the government provides a daily feeding grant of just GH₵8 per student—barely enough for a basic meal, let alone therapy, assistive devices, or specialised instruction . Most special schools rely on periodic grants that arrive unpredictably, leaving headteachers scrambling to pay for electricity, food, and teaching materials.

The ASJ editorial observation: For decades, Ghana has treated special needs education as an afterthought—a charity case rather than a civil right. The numbers tell the story: less than one percent of the education budget has historically gone to the students who need the most support. That is not a resource problem. That is a priority problem.

The Government’s New Dawn: Funding, Policy, and Free Education

If the past was neglect, the present offers cautious hope.

In November 2025, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu announced a series of reforms that amount to the most significant policy shift for special needs education in a generation .

The GETFund Lifeline

The Minister has formally requested that the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) allocate GH₵65 million specifically for special needs education in its 2026 budget . This is not a one-off gesture. The government is seeking an annual allocation between GH₵65 million and GH₵100 million to create a predictable, sustainable funding model .

Why does this matter? Historically, special schools received ad hoc grants that arrived late, if at all. A headteacher could not plan for repairs, new equipment, or additional staff because they never knew when—or if—the money would come. The new GETFund structure aims to eliminate that uncertainty, providing consistent funding that schools can budget around .

Free Education for All Persons With Special Needs

Effective January 1, 2026, the government announced that education for all persons with special needs in Ghana will be fully free . This covers all 39 integrated and special needs schools across the country, from basic through to tertiary levels.

Speaking to Parliament on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Minister Iddrisu framed this as a legacy initiative: “I am happy to note that from January 1, 2026, President Mahama will make a formal declaration making education for all persons with special needs free in Ghana. We want this to be a legacy” .

Increased Feeding Grant and Infrastructure Upgrades

The daily feeding allocation for learners in special schools will increase from GH₵8 to GH₵15 per student—a near-doubling that reflects the higher costs of supporting children with disabilities . Proper nutrition is not a luxury for these students; it is essential for their ability to focus, learn, and participate.

The government has also committed to upgrading infrastructure across special and integrated schools, focusing on accessibility (ramps, adapted toilets), assistive technology (braille tools, hearing aids, communication devices), and consistent standards across institutions .

The Cabinet Memo and Long-Term Vision

The Minister is preparing a Cabinet Memorandum for President Mahama that will guide a major policy decision on the future of special needs education in Ghana . This memo, informed by data gathering, cost analysis, and expert insights from heads of special schools, is expected to lay out a long-term strategy that moves beyond grant dependency to a sustainable, well-funded system.

The cautious note: Policy announcements are not the same as policy implementation. GH₵65 million has been requested—not yet appropriated. The free education policy has been declared—but the systems to deliver it (trained teachers, accessible buildings, assistive devices) are not yet in place everywhere. Parents should celebrate these commitments while holding the government accountable for delivery.

The Schools Leading the Way in Accra

Amidst the policy shifts, specific institutions in Accra are already demonstrating what quality special needs education looks like.

New Horizon Special School: Where Inclusion Is Celebrated

Located in Accra, New Horizon Special School focuses on the development and empowerment of children with special needs, including those on the autism spectrum .

In February 2026, Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang visited the school for its annual Fun Games—an event featuring wheelchair races, sack races, bottle-filling challenges, and a 60-metre dash. Every participating child was declared a winner and awarded a gold medal .

The Vice President’s message was pointed: “It can never be about us only. It is about recognising the differences we have and bringing them together, just like cloth weavers bring all the strands together for the pattern to emerge” .

What makes New Horizon special: The school emphasises not just academic instruction but the full humanity of its students—their capacity for joy, competition, and community. The Fun Games were not a sideshow to the “real” education. They were the education: a lesson in belonging.

Multikids Inclusive Academy (East Legon): The Innovation Hub

Multikids Inclusive Academy in East Legon has emerged as Accra’s most dynamic institution for inclusive education. Its partnership with the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has produced two groundbreaking training programmes in 2026 alone.

First: Appropriate Paper-Based Technology (APT) Training (April 2026)

In a week-long workshop, educators learned to create adaptive learning and mobility aids using low-cost, recycled materials like cardboard. Participants built adaptive chairs, communication aids, and positioning devices for children with cerebral palsy—tools that would cost hundreds of cedis to purchase commercially but can be made for virtually nothing .

The workshop was led by APT expert Patrick Sakyi Oppong and included lecturers from UEW’s Department of Special Education alongside students in the Community-Based Rehabilitation and Disability Studies programme .

Mrs Florence Mensah, Head of SPED at UEW, explained the significance: “Through this collaboration, we are equipping participants with the tools to create inclusive learning environments using innovative and affordable methods” .

Second: Sensory Training Workshop (April 2026)

Immediately following the APT training, Multikids hosted a sensory processing workshop for educators from across Accra. Participants came from Dzorwulu Special School, Hopesetters Autism Center, Castle Road Special School, AwaaWaa2+ Special School, Salvation Army School for the Deaf, Brain Hill International School, and International Community School (ICS) .

The session focused on recognising and addressing diverse sensory preferences and challenges among learners with special needs. Through live demonstrations and experience-sharing sessions, seasoned educators recounted real-life challenges and shared effective classroom practices .

Crucially, the workshop identified a cohort of future trainers of trainees, ensuring that the knowledge does not die when the workshop ends .

Why Multikids matters: This school is not waiting for the government to fix everything. It is building partnerships, training teachers, and demonstrating that high-quality inclusive education is possible—often using materials as simple as cardboard.

Dzorwulu Special School: The Anopa Project Transformation

Dzorwulu Special School is one of three institutions benefiting from a three-year project launched by the Anopa Project, an NGO championing development through sports .

The project, funded by the RYTHM Foundation, includes:

• Skills training in pottery, soap making, and other vocational skills

• Scholarships for students

• Infrastructure enhancements

• Sports festivals

The Anopa Project has also inaugurated Ghana’s first deaf swimming club and a team of bakers made of children with intellectual or developmental disabilities .

Executive Director Ernest Appiah noted that the project has, over 14 years, helped enrol more than 3,200 children back into school .

Other Notable Institutions in Accra

Several other schools serve the special needs community in Accra, including:

• Castle Road Special School

• Salvation Army School for the Deaf

• Hopesetters Autism Center

• AwaaWaa2+ Special School

These schools, while often under-resourced, provide essential services for children whose needs cannot be met in mainstream classrooms.

The Training Revolution: UEW’s Role in Building Capacity

None of this works without trained teachers. And the most significant teacher training happening in Ghana right now is at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) .

UEW’s Department of Special Education (SPED) has positioned itself as the national hub for inclusive education training. Its partnership with Multikids Inclusive Academy has produced two major workshops in 2026 alone, reaching educators from over a dozen Accra schools .

But UEW is also embedding this training into its formal curriculum. The skills learned in the APT workshop are being incorporated into the Level 200 Community-Based Rehabilitation and Disability Studies (CBRDS) curriculum, enhancing hands-on learning and improving employability prospects for students .

Why this matters for parents: A trained teacher is the single most important factor in a special needs child’s education. When you evaluate a school, ask: Have your teachers received training from UEW’s SPED department or similar programmes? Do they understand sensory processing? Can they create low-cost assistive devices?

The schools that invest in teacher training are the schools that will serve your child best.

The NGO and Private Sector Partners

Government cannot do it alone, and in Accra, it does not have to.

H3: The Anopa Project

As detailed above, the Anopa Project is providing infrastructure upgrades, vocational training, and sports programmes for Dzorwulu Special School and others. Its focus on sports—including the deaf swimming club—recognises that children with disabilities need physical activity and competition, not just therapy .

RYTHM Foundation

The RYTHM Foundation is funding the Anopa Project’s three-year initiative, demonstrating that international philanthropy has a role to play in Ghana’s special needs education ecosystem .

The Private School Sector

Notably, private schools like Brain Hill International School and International Community School (ICS) have sent their educators to UEW-Multikids training workshops . This suggests a growing awareness among Accra’s premium private schools that inclusive education is not just a moral obligation but an educational best practice. When a mainstream school trains its teachers to support children with sensory needs, it becomes able to include students who would otherwise be sent elsewhere.

The editorial observation: The ideal is not separate special schools. The ideal is mainstream schools that are genuinely inclusive—where a child with autism sits next to a neurotypical peer, where a child with a physical disability navigates the same hallways, where difference is not isolated but integrated. We are not there yet in Accra. But the fact that mainstream private schools are sending teachers to sensory training is a promising step.

What Parents Need to Know: A Practical Guide

If you are the parent of a child with special needs in Accra, here is what you need to know.

Know Your Child’s Rights

As of January 2026, education for all persons with special needs in Ghana is fully free . This covers tuition, and the government has committed to increasing the daily feeding grant from GH₵8 to GH₵15 . If a school tries to charge you fees that should be covered, you have the right to question it.

Identify the Right School Setting

Accra offers two main models for special needs education:

Special Schools (e.g., Dzorwulu Special School, Castle Road Special School, New Horizon Special School) serve only children with disabilities. They have specialised staff and resources but may lack exposure to typically developing peers.

Integrated Schools include special needs students alongside mainstream students in the same campus, often with a dedicated special education unit. This model offers greater social integration but requires strong teacher training and resources.

There is no universally correct choice. Some children thrive in specialised environments; others benefit from integration. Visit both types before deciding.

Ask the Right Questions

When evaluating a school for your child, ask:

1. “What training have your teachers received in special education or inclusive practices?”

2. “Do you have assistive technology devices (braille tools, hearing aids, communication boards, adapted furniture)?”

3. “What is your student-to-teacher ratio for special needs learners?”

4. “How do you handle sensory overload or behavioural challenges?”

5. “Do you have a nurse or therapist on staff or on call?”

6. “Is the campus physically accessible (ramps, adapted toilets, safe pathways)?”

If the school cannot answer these questions clearly, that is your answer.

Connect With Other Parents

The special needs community in Accra is small but growing. Seek out parent networks—through schools, churches, or online forums. Other parents are your best source of honest information about which schools actually deliver on their promises.

Advocate Relentlessly

The government’s new policies are promising, but promises do not teach children. You will need to advocate for your child—at the school, at the district education office, and at the national level. Keep records. Follow up in writing. Do not accept vague assurances.

The hard truth: Ghana’s special needs education system is still catching up. You will encounter frustration. You will encounter ignorance. But you will also encounter dedicated teachers and administrators who are doing extraordinary work with limited resources. Find those people. Support them. And never apologise for demanding what your child deserves.

The Gaps That Remain

An honest assessment must name what is still missing.

Gap One: Infrastructure. Most special schools in Accra lack ramps, adapted toilets, and accessible playgrounds. Students in wheelchairs cannot navigate narrow doorways or uneven paths. The government has committed to upgrades, but construction takes time .

Gap Two: Assistive Technology. Braille machines, hearing aids, communication devices, and adapted furniture are expensive. The GH₵65 million allocation, if approved, will help—but the need far exceeds the funding .

Gap Three: Teacher Training at Scale. UEW is training educators, but thousands more need training. Most mainstream classroom teachers in Accra have never received any instruction in supporting students with disabilities .

Gap Four: Data. The government itself has acknowledged that it is gathering data to inform policy . This implies that the data did not previously exist in a usable form. You cannot manage what you do not measure.

Gap Five: Transition to Employment. What happens when a special needs student finishes school? Vocational training programmes like those offered by the Anopa Project at Dzorwulu are exceptions, not the rule . Most graduates have nowhere to go.

The editorial observation: The gaps are real, but they are not insurmountable. Ghana is not starting from zero. It has a network of special schools, a dedicated cadre of teachers, and now, unprecedented political will. The question is whether the momentum can be sustained when the headlines fade and the budget pressures return.

A Vision for the Future

Imagine, for a moment, what success looks like.

It is 2030. A child with cerebral palsy enters a mainstream school in Accra. The building has ramps. The classroom has an adapted desk. The teacher has been trained to support the child’s physical and communication needs. The other children have grown up alongside peers with disabilities; they do not stare or whisper. They help. They learn together.

This child is not a burden. This child is not an afterthought. This child is simply a student—with the same right to learn, to play, to grow, as every other child in Ghana.

That vision is not fantasy. It is the logical conclusion of the policies, partnerships, and training programmes that are already underway. The government’s funding commitments, UEW’s training workshops, Multikids’ innovations, the Anopa Project’s renovations—these are all building blocks of that future.

But building blocks do not assemble themselves. They require hands. They require pressure. They require parents who refuse to accept “no.”

The children in that photograph—the broken wheelchair, the concrete floor—they are counting on us. Do not let them down.

FAQ Section: Parents’ Top Questions Answered

1. Which schools in Accra are best for children with special needs?

It depends on your child’s specific needs. New Horizon Special School serves children on the autism spectrum and other disabilities, with a strong emphasis on celebration and inclusion . Dzorwulu Special School is receiving significant infrastructure and vocational training support through the Anopa Project . Multikids Inclusive Academy in East Legon is the leading innovator in inclusive education, with partnerships with UEW for teacher training . For mainstream schools with inclusive capacity, Brain Hill International School and International Community School (ICS) have sent staff to special education training.

2. Is special needs education really free in Ghana now?

As of January 1, 2026, the government has declared that education for all persons with special needs in Ghana will be fully free. This applies to all 39 integrated and special needs schools nationwide . However, parents should confirm implementation with individual schools, as policy rollout can be uneven.

3. What is the GETFund allocation for special needs education?

The government has requested GH₵65 million from GETFund for special needs education in the 2026 budget, with a goal of annual allocations between GH₵65 million and GH₵100 million to create sustainable funding . This funding is intended to cover assistive devices, infrastructure, feeding, and operations.

4. How much is the daily feeding grant for special needs students?

The government has announced an increase from GH₵8 to GH₵15 per student per day for learners in special schools and integrated programmes . This reflects the higher costs of supporting children with disabilities.

5. What training do special education teachers in Accra receive?

The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) through its Department of Special Education (SPED) offers training in inclusive education, community-based rehabilitation, and disability studies. UEW has partnered with Multikids Inclusive Academy to offer specialised workshops in Appropriate Paper-Based Technology (APT) for creating low-cost assistive devices and sensory processing training for educators .

6. What is the Anopa Project?

The Anopa Project is an NGO that uses sports and skills development to support children with disabilities. It has launched a three-year project for three special schools, including Dzorwulu Special School in Accra, providing infrastructure upgrades, vocational training (pottery, soap making, baking), scholarships, and sports programmes. The project also inaugurated Ghana’s first deaf swimming club .

7. What is Appropriate Paper-Based Technology (APT)?

APT is a method of creating adaptive learning and mobility aids—chairs, communication boards, positioning devices—using low-cost, recycled materials like cardboard. UEW’s Department of Special Education has trained educators in this technique at Multikids Inclusive Academy, enabling schools to provide assistive devices without expensive imports .

8. Can my child with special needs attend a mainstream school in Accra?

Yes, through integrated schools, which include special needs students alongside mainstream students. However, the quality of integration varies widely. Some schools have dedicated special education units and trained teachers; others do not. Parents should visit, ask specific questions about teacher training and accessibility, and seek other parents’ experiences before enrolling.

9. What assistive technology is available for special needs students in Accra?

The government has committed to providing “modern assistive devices” including braille tools, hearing aids, mobility devices, and communication tools as part of its infrastructure upgrades . Additionally, UEW’s APT training enables schools to create low-cost devices from cardboard . Availability remains uneven; parents should ask prospective schools directly what devices they have and how they are maintained.

10. When will the government’s special needs education reforms take full effect?

The free education policy took effect January 1, 2026 . The GH₵65 million GETFund allocation is part of the 2026 budget process . Infrastructure upgrades and the sustainable funding model are in development, with a Cabinet Memorandum being prepared for the President to guide long-term policy . Parents should expect gradual implementation, not overnight transformation.

Conclusion: The Measure of a Nation

There is an old test of a society’s character: how it treats its most vulnerable members.

By that measure, Ghana has historically fallen short. Children with disabilities have been hidden, neglected, or sent to underfunded institutions where survival, not learning, was the goal. The photograph of the child in the broken wheelchair was not an anomaly. It was a symptom of a system that did not prioritise those who needed it most.

But systems can change. And in Accra, right now, they are changing.

The government’s funding commitments are unprecedented. UEW’s training programmes are building a generation of teachers who understand inclusion. NGOs like the Anopa Project are proving that sports and skills development are not luxuries but necessities. Schools like Multikids and New Horizon are showing what is possible.

None of this is complete. None of it is perfect. The gaps are vast, and the work is just beginning.

But for the first time in a generation, there is reason for hope. The parent of a child with special needs in Accra can now point to specific policies, specific funding, specific training programmes, and say: This is for my child. My child matters.

That is the measure of a nation—not how it celebrates its strongest, but how it lifts up its weakest.

And by that measure, Ghana is finally, slowly, beginning to rise.

Source: Accra Street Journal 

Last Updated on May 21, 2026 by Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu

Samuel Kwame Boadu is a Ghanaian media entrepreneur and storyteller with a passion for amplifying urban voices and uncovering everyday truths. He is the Editor-in-Chief and Founder of Accra Street Journal, a dynamic digital platform dedicated to capturing the pulse of Ghana’s capital—its people, culture, challenges, business, sports and innovations.

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