The Resource Center for Disability Support Services and Learning at the University of Liberia (UL) has begun discussing projects and activities needed in the short term to address challenges facing students with disabilities.

The department held a meeting on the UL Capitol Hill campus on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, following which it stated some of the immediate accommodations it has successfully negotiated for students.

The head of the department, Mrs. Saydah Taylor, said in their short-term plan, they have successfully negotiated with instructors to switch their classes from upstairs to the ground floor for students with disabilities to be accommodated there.

Also, she said they are looking at the construction of portable ramps for those in wheelchairs to move easily.

“We are looking at areas where maybe portable ramps can be placed for people with wheelchairs to move easily,” said Mrs. Taylor.

She noted that they have had discussions with one or two external partners who are thinking about supporting the department in constructing the ramps.

However, she noted that they must look at the areas, their feasibility, and how people can access them.

Regarding the long-term plan, she said it has a long list, noting that before doing anything, they must do a feasibility study.

According to Mrs. Taylor, accessibility is a serious issue, disclosing that her department will gather information to inform the university of what is needed so that students coming in with any form of disability can at least get some kind of assistance from her department.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Taylor said they are in the awareness stage, and they did some awareness in early February, March, and sometimes in April this year.

She indicated that they met with the Testing Center, the Enrolment Services, the Office of Information Technology, and other places at UL to let them know that this department has now been created and that students need accessibility.

Earlier, Mr. Andrew T. Nagbe, Accessibility Coordinator within the Department, explained that they are creating awareness for the department, and they have been meeting with stakeholders in administration, and administrative directors, among others.

Mr. Nagbe said the department seeks to address issues that persons with disabilities face, the key among which is accessibility.

According to him, they have met with instructors and asked them to relocate their classes to the ground floor so that they can be accessible to physically challenged students.

But Mr. Nagbe noted that the department needs a budget, whether from internal or external partners, to support the kind of work that they seek to do.

Also speaking, Ms. Getrude T. Weah, Administrative Assistant within the department, said they have captured the database of students with disabilities, both new and old students.

According to her, there are about 38 students with disabilities captured in the database, majority of whom are males. She explained that during the orientation, the team from the Disability Support Services was positioned on the various campuses of UL.

“So with this department, we were able to help some of them and as we were meeting them, we were carrying on awareness about the kind of job we do, even though we don’t have funding right now,” said Ms. Weah.

Additionally, she said the students want to have a bathroom that they can access. Regarding classes, she said the department has case workers who have been helping to liaise with instructors successfully for the students.