Access to quality education for children with special needs is a crucial aspect of fostering an inclusive society. In Ghana, the educational landscape has evolved significantly, with a growing recognition of the importance of catering to the diverse learning needs of all students, including those with physical, intellectual, and emotional challenges. Special needs schools play a vital role in this effort, offering tailored educational programs, specialized support services, and environments that are conducive to the learning and development of children with disabilities.
This article delves into the top 10 special needs schools in Ghana, highlighting institutions that have distinguished themselves through their commitment to providing exceptional care, education, and support for students of all ages with special needs including the visually impaired, hearing impaired, autistic children, ADHD, dyslexic and intellectually disabled.
These schools not only focus on academic achievement but also prioritize the holistic development of their students, equipping them with life skills and confidence to thrive in society. Whether you are a parent, educator, or simply someone interested in learning more about special education in Ghana, this guide will provide valuable insights into the institutions leading the way in inclusive education.
These are the Top 10 Best Special Needs Schools in Ghana:
- Multikids Inclusive Academy
- Woodfield Manor Autism & Special Needs School
- Dzorwulu Special School
- Bechem School for the Deaf
- New Horizon Special School
- Akropong School for the Blind
- Wa school for the blind and Wa School for the Deaf
- Demonstration School for the Deaf
- Garden City Special School
- Volta School for the Deaf
- Multikids Inclusive Academy
Multikids was founded in 2010 and is on a single site in a quiet residential area of Accra. The school’s building sites are accessible via ramps and bars. There is a library on both sites.
The inclusion team, responsible for special provision, is located throughout the site. This includes a dedicated clinical team in the Therapy & Assessment Centre. In addition, there are spaces for occupational therapy, a physiotherapy gym, speech & language therapy, counseling, applied behavioral analysis, and a sensory room.
The school’s Accessibility and Assistive Technology service is cutting-edge in Ghana. Desktops, projectors, and interactive whiteboards in classrooms complement ICT suite facilities. It also has dedicated Art and Music rooms. All its staff has continuous professional development embedded into their weekly timetable. Additionally, all therapists have rigorous clinical supervision to maintain international standards of excellence.
Multikids is passionate about ensuring that every child is engaged in an accessible and challenging teaching and learning environment. Multikid’s team of skilled and committed teachers and therapists work with parents to provide practical assessment, design, and delivery of a unique learning program for your child.
Over ten years, the school has maintained small classes and a happy, safe, and supportive environment that are central to student achievement. Parents can also get the support and training needed to consolidate learning at home. Multikids suit students who do not thrive or achieve their best in a mainstream setting. Committing to inclusion is about empathy, respect for difference, and finding a new way to reach your potential in a safe, supported environment.
The school runs a supported living house called Gold House. The place is available for all children in their secondary school and, occasionally, upper primary. Unlike most boarding facilities, Gold House is set up as a family unit with staff guiding and nurturing.
Multikids support children with the following conditions: ADHD, Autism, Behavioral issues, Cerebral Palsy, Hearing impairment, Down Syndrome, and Dyslexia. They also teach English as a second language.
Contact
Multikids Inclusive Academy
Email: Info@multikidsgh.com
Call: +233202966871
- Woodfield Manor Autism & Special Needs School
Woodfield Manor School is a warm, happy and welcoming special school where our children come first. The school has a highly trained and effective staff group who specialize in teaching children with a variety of special needs. The school is located at Adenta in Accra.
Its curriculum is well balanced with a firm focus on the development of communication, social interaction, independence/life skills, literacy, and numeracy. It believes that by keeping these key elements at the heart of everything they teach pupils, their life chances will be enhanced.
Woodfield Manor School’s experienced class staff and therapists ensure that each child’s individual needs are met through personalized learning, small class and group teaching, and specialist interventions. Every child is provided with diverse opportunities and high-quality teaching and learning, with a focus on effective communication and independence offering every child the opportunity to excel.
Admission to the school is free for disadvantaged children with autism and/or special needs meeting the school’s intake criteria. Admission is for children between the ages of 5 – 16 years. Working in partnership with parents is an extremely important policy for the school and they operate an ‘open door’ policy to respond to parents within 24 hours whenever possible.
CONTACT
+233 (0) 30 393 0832 – Office
0508740965- WhatsApp
woodfieldmanor.gh@gmail.com
P. O. Box DT 439, Adenta, Accra
- Dzorwulu Special School
Dzorwulu Special School is a school specially set up for children with autism in Ghana. Dzorwulu Special School is a fully funded government institution established by the Society of Frien. This school was set up to give relief to the parents of autistic children who find it difficult to care for them by providing them with care, treatment, training, and hopefully, by helping to explore their hidden talents.
The school aims to give hope to the parents and the kids so that they can grow up to be an integral part of society. The school became an independent private institution in 1970 and became a government-run school in 1974 where its name was changed from Society of Friends of Mentally Challenged Children to Dzorwulu Special School. The school heavily depends on donations from individuals and other philanthropic organizations.
Among the activities of the school is an arts and crafts department that offers training to a group of children who learn how to design and string beads into jewelry. The school works with other voluntary foundations that provide speech therapists and registered behavior technicians to work in classrooms at the Dzorwulu Special School and also provide services to external families. Registered behavior technician also runs a vocational program with the help of benevolent horticulturalists who donate plants and time to teach the children how to plant and take care of the plants.
The school has an Autism Resource Center which was recently renovated and is extremely beneficial to parents who cannot afford to take their children to private school.
CONTACT
Accra, Ghana, 233
Mobile: 027 741 8965
Email: dzorwuluspecialschool@gmail.com
- Bechem School for the Deaf
Bechem School for the Deaf is responsible for the education of Kindergarten through Junior high school students. Bechem Technical Institute for the Deaf is an attached school that educates older students through vocational programs. The school is located in the Tano South District of the Brong Ahafo Region.
The Bechem School for the Deaf supports children from around the area with a commitment to strong moral, and viable trade education. Additionally, Bechem School for the Deaf provides necessary services and opportunity to deaf children, providing them with the education to achieve lucrative jobs in technical fields and economic independence.
During a student’s Primary education (first through sixth grade), he/she studies the following: English Language, Mathematics, Integrated Science, Religious and Moral Education, Citizenship Education, Physical Education, and Creative Arts. Primary education is the foundation for further development; here, students receive basic knowledge of the core subject areas and their duties/rights as citizens.
After completing the Primary and Junior High School, students are prepared for the Basic Education Certificate Examination. After completion of JHS, the students have the opportunity to apply to the technical school. Within the technical institution, students are introduced to various trades such as Carpentry, Fashion, Metal Work, and Building and Construction. Upon completing this portion of their education, a student chooses a trade and enter a specialized program designed to provide them with the necessary skills to achieve jobs within that specific field.
Bechem School for the Deaf is dedicated to educating the students that are often marginalized and thus limited from opportunity and economic independence.
CONTACT
- New Horizon Special School
New Horizon Special School was founded in 1972 and is a private voluntary, non-profit making and charitable institution registered with the Ministry of Education. The school is located at Cantonment in Accra.
New Horizon Special School provides day school education for children between the ages of 6 and 18 years old, and vocational training and employment for adults (18 and over), who have intellectual disability. Its aim is to not only provide a well-rounded education for children and adults with special needs, in a safe and caring environment, but also to develop each child’s potential to the full so that he or she can lead a productive and satisfying life.
Their vocational programs include kente weaving, batik dyeing, basket weaving and bead making. Older students are also taught life skills like ironing, cleaning and basic cooking to help them live independently. Persons with other disabilities like spasticity, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, hearing impairment etc may also be admitted so long as their primary disability is learning difficulty.
New Horizon Special School believes that every child whether handicapped or not, has the right to develop to his or her fullest capabilities. As a result, the school is on a mission to meets the academic, physical, social, behavioural, and emotional needs of every student so that each student has equal opportunities to succeed and become a contributing member of society.
CONTACT
No. 20, 4th Circular Rd, Cantonments, opposite the Togo Embassy, Accra, Ghana.
Tel +233 302 772 878
Fax: +233 302 772 878
- Akropong School for the Blind
Akropong School for the Blind was officially opened on 6th August 1945. The school is located at Akropong in the Eastern region of Ghana.
The school is on a mission to render quality education that will prepare and equip students with visual impairments to be nearly independent in the future. The school has kindergarten, primary, junior high, rehabilitation, craft, music, and a functional class.
Akropong School for the Blind believes that education is a journey that empowers young minds to explore, innovate, and excel. They are committed to nurturing well-rounded individuals, both academically and personally.
The school has a vibrant academic community, where excellence, creativity, and compassion thrive. Together, their students embark on an adventure fostering a community of learners who will undoubtedly make a positive impact on the world.
CONTACT
The Wa Methodist School for the Blind was established in 1958 by the Methodist Church, Ghana to provide educational access to persons with blindness. Currently, the school provides a wide range of educational services including basic school, rehabilitation classes, and vocational training education.
It has a Basic school which comprises kindergarten up to junior high school. They administer the Ghana Education Service syllabus. This prepares the students for secondary-level education.
It also has a Rehabilitation class. This class is for students who attained higher education before becoming blind. These students are trained on how to write and read the braille. The school also focuses especially on Expanded Core Curriculum Skills such as orientation and mobility, dressing, toileting, feeding, social interaction, assistive technology, and sensory skills.
Its Vocational training programme is established in the school for students who cannot go on to have Senior High School education. The students are trained in liquid soap and local soaps as weaving camp bed and chairs. In addition, they make door mats.
Wa School for the Deaf was established in November 1968 and is located on Wa-Kumasi Road directly opposite Wa Senior High School. Wa School for the deaf runs from Kindergarten through Primary to Junior High School level. Apart from academic subjects, emphasis is placed on practical skills that could make them self-employable. The programmes for practical skills include block laying and concreting, carpentry, catering, handloom weaving, and sewing.
These two schools, Wa School for the Blind and Wa School for the Deaf are the only institutions of its kind serving the three northern regions and other communities across the country.
CONTACT
039 2022035
Demonstration School for the Deaf (Demodeaf) is a public basic special school that was established in 1967, over fifty years ago to educate deaf children in its catchment area. The vision of the school is to produce deaf scholars who would be socially, emotionally, economically, psychologically, and academically upright. The school is located in the Mampong-Akuapem in the Eastern Region.
Demonstration School for the Deaf admits children who are four (4) years old and above who are hearing impaired/deaf (pre-lingual or post-lingual) and children with additional disabilities to the deafness/hearing impairment, for example, blind or physically challenged are also admitted. No fees are charged as per admission, however, parents must provide school uniforms, School clothes, House attire (Friday wear) P.E. kits, and pay for medical examinations.
The medium of instruction is Ghanaian Sign Language (GSL), but sometimes oralism is employed for the benefit of the postlingual. The school is residential thus all the students live on the school premises. The school seeks to become an institution that is built on discipline and one that can provide a learning environment that nurtures the hearing impaired and the Deafblind in a globalized world as they enter mainstream society and grow to live meaningfully and responsibly within their respective communities.
The school has five (5) departments namely: Kindergarten Department, Primary Department, Junior High Department, Vocational Department (Dressmaking, Hair Academy, leather works, leather work and bead weaving), and Deafblind Department (early academic, functional academic, vocational skills, arts and crafts)
CONTACT
WhatsApp/ Mobile: +233 244 721 726
Office: +233 205 045 662
Email: demodeaf_mampong@yahoo.com
- Garden City Special School
Garden City Special School is a public institution established in 1996 in Kumasi. It serves persons living with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Ashanti region and parts of the Eastern and Western regions of Ghana.
The school currently has 192 children and a staff of 49. The school is the only basic segregated government institution providing special education and training in occupational and social skills such as greetings, brushing teeth, home economics, batik tie and dye, envelope-making, leather works, woodwork, and other trades to children with special needs.
The school is fully supported by the government and does not charge any school fees from students. The school has hostel facilities and residential accommodations for both teachers and supervisors. The school provides pre-technical and vocational training for its students.
CONTACT
P. O. Box 3587., Kumasi, Ghana
020 821 6123
The Volta School of the Deaf next to Hohoe is a facility for deaf and deaf-mute children in the Volta Region. The school provides overall educational and supportive help for students of all different ages and life periods. The facility provides a kindergarten, a primary school, and a secondary school.
Additionally, the school organizes and helps the students after finishing school to get along with society and establish an independent way of life in the outside world. The principal and the tutors organize workshops and seminars for the parents and relatives, to inform them more about the disabilities of their children, to teach them methods how to handle different situations in special circumstances, and to try to increase awareness in society for people with disabilities at all.
Although the school is primarily for the deaf it also has as well pupils with sight disabilities and blindness, as well as children with special mental disorders and disabilities.
- Cape Coast School for the Deaf and Blind
Cape Coast School for the Deaf was established in 1970 and is located in Cape Coast between Aggrey Memorial Zion Senior High School and Ghana National College along the Cape Coast-Takoradi highway. The school’s motto is ‘Disability is not Inability’.
The school aims to improve the lives of young people who are blind or visually impaired under the principles of inclusive education. It educates both hearing and visually-impaired children of school-going age by using braille to help the visually impaired read, after which they are integrated into mainstream schools.
Although the school needs renovations and teaching and learning materials, the school has an outstanding cultural troupe that meets international standards and has toured most parts of the country to perform.
Here is a List of All Special Needs Schools in Ghana:
For the Deaf
1. Demonstration School for the Deaf Mampong-Ashanti
2. State school for the Deaf, Adjei-Kojo Krom
3. Wa School for the Deaf
4. Bechem School for the Deaf
5. Cape Coast School for the Deaf
6. Sekondi School for the Deaf
7. Volta School for the Deaf, Hohoe
8. Savelugu School for the Deaf
9. Ashanti School for the Deaf, Jamasi
10. School for the Deaf-blind, Mampong-Akwapim
11. Gbego school for the Deaf, Bolgatanga
12. Kibi Unit School for the Deaf
13. Koforidua Unit School for the Deaf
14. Secondary/Technical school for the Deaf
15 Bechem Technical School for the Deaf
16. Presbyterian Training College Akropong
17. University of Cape Coast
18. University of Ghana, Legon
For the Mentally Retarded
19. Dzorwulu Special School, Accra
20. Twin-City Special School, Sekondi
21. Garden City Special School, Kumasi
22. Castle Road Special School, Accra
23. Three Kings Special School, Battor
24. Shalom Special School, Nkoranza
For the Visually Impaired
25. Akropong-Akwapim school for the blind
26. Wa school for the blind
27. Wenchi Secondary School
28. Okuapeman Secondary School
29. Wa Secondary School
30. Presbyterian Training College, Akropong-Akwapim
31. Ahmadiya Training College, Wa
32. University of Ghana, Legon
33. University of Cape Coast
34. University College of Education at Winneba