Beyond Policy: Students with Disabilities Excluded in Higher Education

By: Esther Kadie Tarawally

Located on  Mount Aureole, one of the mountain communities overlooking Freetown, Fourah Bay College is one of  Sierra Leone’s most historic centers of higher learning. But beyond its academic reputation, the campus terrain is known for its steep slopes, long stairways, and scattered buildings that presents daily obstacles for students with disabilities trying to move from hostels and their homes to classrooms and other administrative buildings.

Fifteen years after the enactment of the Persons with Disability Act 2011, which mandates accessibility and equal access to education, students say the reality on campus tells a completely different story. Section 14(2) (3) of the Persons with Disability Act 2011 provides for both structural adaptation and provision of learning devices in learning institutions to accommodate persons with disabilities.

 

This investigation finds that students with disabilities at Fourah Bay College continue to face significant infrastructural and academic barriers from inaccessible buildings and limited mobility support, to the absence of inclusive learning materials, raising questions about compliance, accountability, and the pace of implementation of the Persons with Disability Act 2011.

For students with disabilities at Fourah Bay College, accessing education remains a daily struggle marked by unsafe infrastructure, limited learning support, and social barriers.

 

Mariama Sallay Kamason, student at the Institute of Gender Research and Documentation studying Gender and Development

Mariama Sallay Kamason, student at the Institute of Gender Research and Documentation studying Gender and Development Studies says the reality became clear on her very first day. She recalls arriving on campus some two years ago after gaining admission to study at FBC and how uncertainty immediately sets in her mind on arrival at the campus, as to whether she could cope not only with her course, but also with moving around a campus dominated by steep stairs and inaccessible structures for a visually impaired .student.

“On my first day, I stood at the campus bus park, popularly called ‘airport’ by FBC students, for about 10 minutes, hoping someone would assist me,” she explains. “When no one came, I decided to walk on my own, even though it was risky.”

Barriers to Movement and Access

For many students with disabilities, getting around campus is a major obstacle. Abu Kamara, a student in the Legal Studies Department who uses crutches, describes campus life as extremely difficult, especially in the hostels.

He says he finds it difficult to access most of the buildings including the hostel due to the stairs and poor design, forcing him to sometimes miss classes when he cannot find someone to assist him to class. Basic facilities like bathrooms, he adds, are not disability-friendly.

Abu Kamara - Student at the Department of Legal Studies, FBC

“Sometimes, I have to ask classmates to carry me on their backs, and that strips me of my dignity,” Kamara says. “Some days, when I think about all the obstacles, I just stay in my room and do not go out at all.”

Even reaching lecture halls presents another challenge, often forcing him to spend extra money on transport or rely on others for help. He notes that even the few ramps available are poorly constructed and unsafe for use.

Kamara therefore calls on the university to involve experts in future construction and renovations to ensure proper accessibility features such as ramps and guardrails.

Learning Without Support

Beyond physical access, students say learning itself is unequal.

Brima Jalloh, another visually impaired student and resident of Students with Disabilities, says most learning materials are not accessible. According to him, library resources are not available in braille or audio formats, and that handouts and group materials are provided only in print.

Brima Jalloh - Final Year Student at the Peace and Conflict Department, FBC and President of Students with Disabilities

This, Brima says, does not allow them to participate equally with their colleagues in Class.  “Sometimes even colleagues who usually assist us are unable to do so when they are overwhelmed themselves,” Jalloh explains. He also recalled missing classes for three weeks after being hit by a taxi on his way to campus, highlighting additional risks students face.

Similarly, Alhaji Lolleh says his daily routine is shaped by challenges that begin even before he reaches campus. Not living on campus, Alhaji Lolleh depends on others to help him board a public transport. “There was a day no one was around to help,” he said. “I fell into a hole and almost broke my leg.”

Alhaji Lolleh - Student at the Peace and Conflict Department, FBC

On campus, finding lecture halls, especially when venues change abruptly, remains difficult. He also points to social isolation, noting that some students avoid him due to misconceptions about disability. “It is painful,” lamented Lolleh.

Safety Risks and Gender Vulnerability

For Mariama, the risks go beyond infrastructure access and academic work.

She recounts a disturbing incident in which a man she asked for help allegedly threatened her safety. “He told me that even if he raped me, nothing would happen because I could not see him,” she narrates.

Her experience highlights the heightened vulnerability faced by women, according to a 2025 research paper by the European Parliament on Women with disabilities, particularly in environments where support systems are weak.

Policy Gaps and Institutional Response

Students say these realities expose a gap between policy and practice.

The Persons with Disability Act 2011 guarantees rights to education and accessibility. However, Lolleh notes that students still face additional costs that limit access to essential academic services. “If we are properly supported,” he said, “we will not be a liability but contributors to the country’s development.”

James Abraham George, a Senior Administrative Assistant in charge of Special Needs, FBC

Responding to these concerns, James Abraham George, a Senior Administrative Assistant in charge of Special Needs, acknowledged that the institution is “far from where it needs to be.”

He estimates that less than one percent of the college’s infrastructure is disability-friendly.

George says the administration is however, using what he describes as “human-face approaches,” including relocating classes to accessible buildings where possible and working with alumni groups to support students.

According to him, the college currently has 26 students with special needs, including those with visual impairments, albinism, polio, amputations, and epilepsy.

A call to action

At the national level, Brima Abdulai Sheriff, Chairman of the National Commission for Persons with Disability, says institutions must do more to accommodate persons with disabilities by embarking on structural adaptation.

Brima Abdulai Sheriff - Chairman and Chief Commissioner for National Commission for Persons with Disabilities

He argues that claims of limited resources by heads of learning institutions are not always justified, noting that these learning institutions often mobilize funds for other priorities but fail to invest in accessibility issues for Persons with disability. According to him, failure to comply with the law denies students their fundamental right to education as guaranteed by the Constitution and the Disability Act. He added that although the law requires public institutions to become accessible within five years of its enactment in 2011, progress has been slow.

The experiences of these students show that exclusion is not just a policy issue, it is deeply personal. From inaccessible buildings and limited learning materials, to safety risks and social stigma, students with disabilities at Fourah Bay College continue to face barriers that affect both their education and dignity.

Their stories highlight the urgent need for improved infrastructure, accessible learning resources, and stronger institutional commitment to inclusion. For Mariama and others like her, education is not just about learning, it is about navigating a system that is yet to fully accept them.