Ali Ibrahim
THE State of Osun government has been charged to do more on inclusive education in the state by encouraging children with disabilities to attend mainstream schools like their mates without disabilities.
The charge was given by stakeholders during a reflection exercise organised by Community Advancement Initiative for Self Reliance (CAI4SR) in Osogbo on Monday.
As part of its efforts to contribute to inclusive teaching and learning, CAI4SR is currently implementing a project in five schools in Olorunda and Osogbo Local Governments to pilot an initiative to make mainstream schools accessible to children with disabilities.
The reflection exercise brought stakeholders including Chairman and members of the Osun State Chapter of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), representatives of Ministries of Education, Health and Works.
The reflection meeting provided a platform for the stakeholders to review CAI4SR’s strategies in order to identify the organisation’s strengths and weaknesses in the delivery of its programmes.
Stakeholders at the event called on the state government to make public schools accessible to accommodate Children and Young Persons with Disabilities.
A disability specialist, Dr. Oluropo Ayeni, supported the views of the stakeholders.
Ayeni spoke against the backdrop of the need to expand access to public school for children with disabilities in the state.
He said there is need to make conventional school accessible to children with disabilities, so that they can interact and develop with other children rather than segregating them in the special school only.
The specialist maintained that access to education for children with disabilities is their right and should be given special attention.
Ayeni urged Osun State House of Assembly to pass Disability Bill into law to curb discrimination and protect the interest of persons with disabilities.
A girl with hearing challenge, Zainab, who was at the event said she declined admission into special school, insisting on attending conventional/mainstream school in Osogbo.
She said: “I don’t want to be in special school. I can cope in the normal school. I prefer the normal school to the special school.”
Eunice Alani who taught Zainab when she was in primary school said the girl is keenly willing to be educated.
The Executive Director of CAI4SR, Mrs Eni Ayeni, said the NGO has trained some teachers in the state to strengthen their capacity to conduct simple early detection and diagnosis of disability among children.
She said four existing government primary, secondary and one tertiary institutions in Olorunda and Osogbo Local Government areas with high population of students with disabilities would be used to pilot the project.
