The Federal Government is considering creating and reviewing higher institutions curriculum to serve the yearnings of 15% about 32 million population of persons living with disabilities in the country.
Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, while declaring open the first National Conference on Equal Opportunity of Access to Higher Education in Nigeria, hinted that universities are also considering establishing a faculty for dissability studies.
Also Read: Lagos – Abuja Super Highway: FG plans to complete Project in 4 years
Janes David Lalu is a Nigerian, living with disability. He is the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons Living with Disabilities. He joined other persons with disabilities to make demands at the conference on how they can get more access to higher education.
For tertiary institutions regulatory agencies, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB and the National Assembly, it is not a big deal for persons with disabilities to gain increased access to higher education, but key instruments and framework have to be provided.
The consensus is that, increase in admission of persons with disabilities is not the only challenge, conducive learning environment, favourable accommodation, up-to-date learning kits and the choice to study desired course are equally challenging.
JAMB used the conference to recognise universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, that increased enrollment of persons with disabilities at the last admissions.
The two-day conference on access is an initiative of the equal opportunities group of JAMB.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
