$100M UAE-funded Yas School of Inspiration to open doors for children with disabilities

Children living with disabilities in Guyana will now have the facilities to thrive and have their potential nurtured with the opening of the Yas School of Inspiration.

Located at Crane, West Coast Demerara, this new $100 million institution, funded by the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is a modern facility that is designed specifically to accommodate children with disabilities.

Enrolment has already commenced at the school, which is designed for 50 students, and the process is now ongoing to match the children with specialised teachers. Classes will officially start in the coming weeks.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Thursday afternoon, President Dr Irfaan Ali disclosed that the Yas School of Inspiration will be run by a Board of Directors which will comprise parents of the children attending the facility. This way, he explained, parents will have direct supervision and management of the work done there and be comfortable with their children attending the school.

According to the Head of State, this is reflective of his Government’s commitment to inclusivity, especially for citizens with different challenges.

“Our philosophy is to treat, in an equitable manner, every child and every citizen, and that is why these investments are so important. The Yas School of Inspiration is an embodiment of that covenant. It will foster understanding in a world that often fears difference. It will nurture potential where unique minds are not seen as limited but as wired for wonders we are only beginning to comprehend,” the Guyanese leader stated.

President Ali went on to highlight plans by the First Family to create the environment that will facilitate and foster an ecosystem of facilities, including a specialised recreational park for children with disabilities from across Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).
“You will have a facility that is fool-proof and safe, where the parents and the children will come and enjoy the beautiful space that we have here in this compound. It will be specifically designed for these children. So, it is not only about the school; it’s about the creation of this ecosystem.”

“We are in the process now of placing at the disposal of this school… three specialised buses that will help in the transport of the children. So, it’s about building an entire ecosystem that will support our children,” he posited.

Meanwhile, President Ali also expressed appreciation to the UAE Government for supporting this initiative in Guyana, recognising the shared value of the two nations in creating institutions needed to ensure that citizens, especially children, have the environment to thrive.

“It is important that we understand today is a celebration of friendship. Today is a celebration of cooperation. Today is also the celebration of diplomacy at work. It’s a celebration of two states, two countries, coming together with a common understanding as to what value system we measure development by. And the value system we choose to adopt is one that puts people first and one that gives people the opportunity to be the best they can be,” he noted.

Opening Doors

The Head of State went on to stress the strong bilateral relationship that Guyana and the UAE share, which has evolved over the last five years into a dynamic and strategic partnership anchored in shared economic ambitions, mutual respect and a forward-looking vision.

At Thursday’s commissioning ceremony, the UAE Government was represented by the country’s Minister of State for International Cooperation, Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, who in brief remarks emphasised the importance of every child being integrated into the education system.

Minister Al Hashimy said in the UAE, persons with disabilities are considered as people of determination.

“That determination isn’t only, however, theirs to carry, but it is also ours to follow,” the UAE Minister posited, adding that “we, too, must be determined to make sure that we leave no stone unturned in ensuring that their lives are honoured; that they’re able to be active, productive members of society; and above all that they do so with strength and dignity, supported and supplied by the larger community.”

According to Minister Al Hashimy, her Government believes in an integrated and holistic community – one in which education is highly valued and the foundation for everything.
“So, through this school…we don’t just open for the education of children; we also open doors to a different life for them and also for their parents. It is often said that the true mark of the sophistication of any society is how well, how thoughtfully and how respectfully each member of that society is regarded. I have no doubt, standing here with you today proudly, that your community is one that sees, feels and loves each and every member,” the UAE Minister of State asserted.