The Nigeria Association of the Blind (NAB) has urged the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to address the challenges blind candidates face in amathematics, particularly with visual components like graphs and spatial reasoning.
During a visit to JAMB’s headquarters in Bwari, Abuja, NAB President Stanley Onyebuchi emphasized that the current requirements prevent many blind students from achieving their academic goals.
While acknowledging JAMB’s efforts through the JAMB Equal Opportunities Group (JEOG), he described existing adaptations as inadequate.
“Mathematics, as it is traditionally taught and assessed in Nigeria, heavily relies on visual elements such as graphs, diagrams, and complex spatial reasoning, which pose considerable difficulties for blind students,” he said.
NAB proposed solutions such as alternative testing methods like verbal reasoning or tactile-based assessments, course-specific waivers to exempt blind students from mathematics in non-math-intensive fields, improved accessibility through assistive technologies, and ensuring NAB’s current leadership is represented in JEOG.
JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, reassured NAB of the Board’s commitment to inclusivity, noting that two NAB members already serve on JEOG. He urged NAB to submit formal recommendations for JEOG’s review, stating, “What I can do is recommend to JEOG the importance of this matter. It is a group of individuals with the expertise needed to find solutions by examining practices elsewhere and advising us accordingly.”
While JAMB’s response suggests a willingness to engage, NAB’s demands highlight the broader issue of accessibility in Nigeria’s education system, raising the question of whether meaningful reforms will follow.
