Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama took a two hour walk from Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort to the Sigatoka School for Children with Special Needs this morning as part of a walkathon raising money for the school.
Money collected through the 5th Outrigger Walk for Kids will also help other schools in the Nadroga Navosa Province that require urgent development assistance.
Three members of the Fiji Special Olympics team joined the Prime Minister this morning.
Bainimarama says no physical or mental disability can stop a Fijian from achieving greatness and it is precisely this mentality that is at the core of the Government’s push to build a more inclusive society.
The Prime Minister went on to say that it was a landmark moment for persons living with disabilities when the Disability Act came into effect last year and it proves that with his Government it is more than just talk. He says they walk the talk and they walk the walk.
Bainimarama adds that when it comes to special needs education, he is wholly dedicated to creating a school system that enables every Fiji citizen with the right to the right teachings and the right curriculum.
He stressed that more importantly, it enables them with choices such as the choice to attend the school that best suits their needs.
The Prime Minister says that while is funding special schools unlike ever before, they are also main streaming special education into more schools through the provisions of special education grants and learning tools in addition to staffing our classrooms with trained teachers and assistants.
He says this provides more opportunities to parents to choose a pathway to education that is best for their children, whether that is at a special school, a Ministerial school or a combination of both throughout their educational journey.
Bainimarama adds that while the Government is committed to those with special needs, it alone can only do so much so he is deeply thankful for events like the annual Outrigger Walk for Kids.
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