In a resounding call to action, the British Council’s Director of Programmes, Chikodi Onyeremela, emphasized the critical need for the Nigerian government to prioritize inclusive education for special needs children.
Speaking at the ‘Annual Inclusive Education Conference’ in Abuja on Tuesday, Onyeremela underscored the significance of providing equal opportunities and platforms for all children to thrive, urging a strategic alignment with the pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Onyeremela stressed the global trend of integrating inclusive strategies into educational systems worldwide, asserting, “There is a thin line between ability and disability. Therefore, the government must put mechanisms in place to ensure disability concerns are addressed in our educational system.”
Ismail Jinadu, the executive secretary of the Nigerian Educational Research Development Council (NERDC), echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the government’s responsibility to fulfill the fundamental rights of children’s education.
Jinadu highlighted NERDC’s existing robust framework for special needs education in Nigeria, calling for a holistic approach to its implementation.
Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu, affirmed Nigeria’s commitment to inclusion and equality, citing the nation’s signing and ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Article 24.
Sununu emphasized the imperative for all schools to be inclusive and accessible to children, including those with disabilities.
He also pointed out Nigeria’s endorsement of the 17 SDGs, particularly Goal Four, aiming to ensure that by 2030, all school-age children, including those with disabilities, have access to qualitative, functional, and effective basic education.
Sununu acknowledged the challenges faced and revealed ongoing efforts by the ministry, in collaboration with relevant agencies and development partners, to establish a support system.
He expressed the ministry’s commitment to dismantling existing barriers and ensuring every child’s right to quality education is realized.
Closing the conference, the British Council’s Country Director, Lucy Pearson, called on the government to formulate inclusive policies and integrate them seamlessly into the education system.
The collective call to action underscores the urgency and importance of prioritizing inclusive education for special needs children in Nigeria.
