Uganda, April 16 -- Special needs schools in Bushenyi District have decried a shortage of specialized personnel and persistent social stigma that are driving students with disabilities out of school.

The district has over 420 students with various impairments but only nine trained special needs teachers, which risks school dropout.

According to Mr. Nicholas Natuha, the District Education Officer in charge of Special Needs, the personnel gap is staggering.

"We are very few people trained in special needs education, with only about 11 or 12 in the whole district. When you subtract myself and two head teachers, you are left with only nine teachers in the fraternity. This is not enough for learners with physical, visual, and hearing impair...