Wisdom Kwadwo Mprah, Ph.D. of the Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation Studies at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has made history as Ghana’s first deaf professor, redefining possibilities for persons with disabilities.
“My primary school was under trees in the Oti Region. I later attended Krachi Secondary School and continued at Okuapemman Secondary School. I pursued my first and second degrees at the University of Cape Coast (UCC),” Prof. Mprah recounted, reflecting on his humble beginnings.
His academic journey took an unexpected turn during his Master’s degree when he faced a life-changing challenge: he became deaf just as he was nearing the completion of his studies.
Navigating the workload with this impairment was equally tough. Determined to overcome the barriers, Prof. Mprah decided to learn sign language.
“People didn’t know how to deal with my condition. I decided to go to Mampong School for the Deaf to learn sign language,” he said.
His academic path received a significant boost when he was awarded a scholarship to study in the United States. He earned a PhD in Disability Studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
“Later, I received a scholarship to study abroad,” he revealed.
After completing his doctoral education, Prof. Mprah joined KNUST in 2013 as a lecturer. His research has focused on mental and reproductive health for persons with disabilities. In fact, he is a pioneer in mental health research for persons with disabilities.
“Many people cannot differentiate between behaviour caused by my deafness and behaviour caused by mental health issues. They often attribute my actions to my disability rather than mental health,” he explained.
His groundbreaking work led to the development of new sign language terms for mental health conditions among persons with disabilities.
“We developed different signs for mental health conditions among the disabled,” he revealed.
Prof. Mprah’s recent promotion to professor is a major milestone, not just for himself but for the entire deaf community. He believes this achievement will help dispel many misconceptions about deaf individuals.
“This has proven that deaf people can also succeed. Associating speech with intelligence is wrong. Those who are born deaf can thrive if they have access to the right resources and support. With the right push, they can become whatever they aspire to be,” he said.
Prof. Mprah passionately encourages students with disabilities to pursue their dreams.
“A deaf person can become a lawyer, a professor. Anything they want to be, as long as the systems are in place to support them. With the right push, they can achieve their goals,” he emphasized.
While commending KNUST for creating a more inclusive environment, he stressed the need for more interpreters, braille resources, and accessible infrastructure for students and lecturers with disabilities nationwide.
“The university is already doing a lot to support persons with disabilities, but we need more interpreters for deaf students and more resources for the blind, including access to braille. Additionally, improving roads and pavements to be more disability-friendly will help those with mobility challenges. These are the things we need, but KNUST has been doing well,” he said.
Prof. Mprah pledges to continue working on projects aimed at improving education and healthcare for people with disabilities, advocating for a more inclusive society where no one is left behind.
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