PARENTS of children with disabilities have been urged to register them in schools now that the government provides fee-free education aimed at ensuring that all Tanzanians access education.

The call was made by Suleiman Magoma, Director of Albinism Awareness Foundation (AAF), a local non-governmental organization in Dodoma, saying through the systems, the government has made it possible for all children, including those with disabilities, most of whom are from poor families, to get education.

He made the statement during a visit to Buigiri Primary School for the Blind in Chamwino District, Dodoma Region.

The school is home to 120 pupils, 50 totally blind, 11 have severe visual impairment and others have normal vision while 14 have albinism.

Almost all of the pupils in the school, especially those with blindness, come from poor, rural families that cannot afford fees for boarding and tuition.

“I urge parents of children with albinism and other forms of disabilities to come forth and enrol them in schools for them to get the free-education their government provides in all public schools in the country” he said.

During the occasion, AAF donated equipment worth 5.2m/-, including walking sticks, boxes of sunscreen oil, special eye glasses for those with poor vision, caps and telescopes.

Magoma said the donation was a contribution from friends, well-wishers and work mates who saw the need to touch lives of the less fortunate pupils.

He called on other stakeholders to join the government efforts in helping the disabled children attain their goals just like other normal children.

“What we have done is in support of what the government is doing to ensure the disabled get their rights” he said.

Magoma, who is living with albinism, called on stakeholders to also support children with albinism to access education materials like books, pens, monocular telescopes, hats and sunscreen oil, among others.

The school’s head teacher Sospeter Jonathan thanked the organization for the support, saying pupils need a lot of support.

He said the government is doing a lot but more is still needed to help the school, bearing in mind that most of the pupils come from disadvantaged families.