The Minister of Health and Social Welfare Dr. Motloheloa Phooko has warned parents to stop hiding their children with disabilities and take them to school in order to open doors for their future. 

The Minister said this when awarding certificates to 47 students with disabilities at a graduation ceremony held at Ithuseng Vocational Training Centre on Thursday 05 November,2002. Dr Phooko said it is government's policy to ensure education for all including people with disabilities. He said children with disabilities have talents just like other children and therefore they should not be denied opportunities to prove their potential.

"This institution shows the government's commitment to improve the lives of people with disabilities by empowering them with necessary skills to enable them to start their own projects to generate income," he added. He called upon students who completed their training to use their skills effectively to create jobs and reduce the rate of unemployment in the country. The Minister appealed to the community to welcome and support these students in their respective areas and make their training a success.

Speaking at the same occasion, The Ithuseng Senior Instructor Mr. Tankiso Taleng said to train students with disabilities was not easy as most of them have never been in school before and they did not know how to read and write. "Our success in training students is attributed to commitment and determination of both instructors and students," he added. He thanked other government ministries for their contribution in sensitising students in different topics such as road safety, gender awareness and
family planning.

Mr. Taleng appealed to the Ministry Management to add more instructors to the centre to assist in strengthening the training work. He said it is difficult for one instructor to teach students with disabilities alone. He commended students for their hard work and determination that made their training a success.

Speaking on behalf of students, Mr. Pamo T'soelinyane thanked the department of social welfare and their instructors saying it is through them that they  graduated.
Mr. T'soelinyane appealed to the ministry of health and social welfare to provide a  water tank and build pit-latrines to address shortage of water that is experienced regularly at the centre. He called upon government to expand vocational institutions for people with disabilities to other districts in the country.

The Minister presented awards to the best students who performed best in agriculture, carpentry, mental works, leather works and sewing. The ceremony was entertained by songs and traditional dance performed by students.

Among the participants were representatives from Mohlomi hospital, World Health Organisation (WHO), Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association (LPPA), Department of Social Welfare and representatives from the Ministry of Health. The Ithuseng Vocational Centre has been established by the Ministry of Health to empower people with disabilities with vocational training.

05 November,2002.