Embrace Inclusive Model Of Education, Stakeholders Tell Govt
Stakeholders in the education sector in Nigeria have risen from a two day conference with a call for the Government at all levels and private education providers to embrace the Inclusive model of Education to cater for all school age persons.
The two day programme was an annual conference of the British Council held at the Ladi Kwali Hall of Abuja Continental Hotel with the theme ” Bridging the Gap Between Inclusive Education Policy and Practice. Inclusive Education is a system where children with special needs learn in same class or environment with other children without barriers and segregation.
The conference commended Bayelsa and other State governments who have given attention to children with special needs by providing a school for them but however noted that such noble gesture in a way is discriminatory.
Discussants on the various panel sessions all agreed that data collection for those with special challenges is important for planning but emphasized that it was high time government and other critical partners move beyond policy formulation to actual practice. They canvassed for more budgetary provision to cater for the infrastructural and material deficit to actualize the objective. Other area of focus were the training of teachers to not only impart knowledge but to have the skills to relate with these special persons to bring out the best in them.
Speaking at the event, leader of the EDTF delegation, Professor Francis Sikoki said Bayelsa State government has invested much in the School for Children with Special Needs, Opolo to bridge the gap. He said the School enjoys free meals and transportation, plus the training of fifteen indigenous teachers at the Ignatius Ajuru University in Rivers State to increase the manpower in the School. Professor Sikoki who is also the acting Chairman of the EDTF noted that the Fund has learned the new focus on Inclusive Education and hoped that proper data analysis is done and emphasized the importance of advocacy for buy-in. He maintained that despite the 2023 National Policy on Inclusive Education in Nigeria, a lot of persons are yet to come to terms with the vision owing to long held beliefs, social class, cultures and lack of empathy for people with such challenges. According to him, until such imaginary walls and barriers are eliminated, and the government leading others in addressing these challenges, the status quo will remain.
UNICEF, Partners for Learning for All Nigerians (PLANE), UK Aid, PLAN International, the Federal Ministry of Education led by the Minister for State, EDTF, State Ministries of Education led by their Commissioners, National Commission for People will Disabilities led by the Executive Secretary, the Albino Foundation led by Ambassador Jake Epelle including other Rights group and NGOs made presentations at the event.
The event was part of British Council’s 80th anniversary in Nigeria.
It will be recalled that the EDTF had secured the Council’s nod to include Bayelsa State in its programmes for teacher training.