The New Horizon Special School in Cantonments on Friday, May 23, 2025, held its long awaited Annual Fun Day Games to celebrate inclusivity and sportsmanship among special children.
The event, which took place on the school’s field, included various fun-filled activities including Bottle-filling Challenge, Three-Legged Race, Ball-Picking Race, Lime & Spoon Race, Wheelchair Race, Walking Race, Sack Race, Relay Race and many other competitions between staff and parents which was designed to engage students of all abilities.
The student athletes were grouped in red, yellow, blue and green and pledged a special Olympic oath during the opening ceremony saying, “Let me win, and if I cannot win, let me be brave in any attempt”.
The games brought together parents, staff and partners of the New Horizon Special School who actively cheered the student athletes during the competitions.
Also in attendance was Mrs. Nana Abena Kwakyi, Managing Director of Morning Star School and Chairperson of the games, Mrs. Justice Helena Abban (Rtd.), Board Member of New Horizon Special School, representatives from the Consolidated Bank of Ghana (CBG) , Friends from La Foundation of the Arts (LAFA) and volunteers from New York University (NYU) who assist staff of the school.
During the opening ceremony, Mrs. Nana Abena Kwakyi in an address noted the importance of fitness and health dedication.
According to Mrs. Kwakyi, everyone is special and have the potential of demonstrating their own abilities through requisite training.
She added, “This great institution has championed and heralded attention to special education in Ghana and beyond our borders. Additionally, this institution’s focus on a personalized approach, teaching and supporting learners with unique needs has achieved outstanding results”.
Mrs. Kwakyi also said that the games will serve as way to enrich the health and wellbeing of the students through the sporting activities.
She also challenged parents and the general public to learn about individuals with special needs and abilities.
“Let’s learn how to gain more information about person’s with special needs, improve our understanding about special needs education and the industry, commit to supporting and promoting their courses for relevance and inclusivity”, she said.
In an interview with Mr. Osei Kufuor, a parent of one of the special students, he expressed the joy of having his son present in the school and noted how important it is to have interest in caring for persons with special needs.
He said, “Parents who have children like this, I encourage them to bring them out, socialize them more because when you keep them at home, in a locked room, you are not doing them any service so I encourage them to bring them to centers like this where they can interact and you will see that they will become outstanding members of society.”
Mr. Kufuor called on the Ghana Education Service to make more provisions for children with special needs and abilities to make them feel included in society.
At the end of the games, every student was awarded with medals for their participation and engagement in the games and activities, which emphasized the school’s mission of promoting inclusivity and empowerment of individuals with special needs.
By: Veronica Sena Amenya//Newswatchgh.com
