The provision of disability friendly facilities by National Commission for People with Disabilities (NCPWD) have excited students and lecturers in Usmanu Danfodio University Sokoto (UDUS).
It was reported that the commission have constructed dual toilets for male and female students with ramps and other accessible facilities for the convenience of persons with disabilities in the institution under 2021 Intervention project.
The project also provided accessible ramps at the lecture theaters, lecture halls, laboratories, libraries, faculty and departmental offices as well as office of the Vice Chancellor complex.
Speaking to The Qualitative Magazine (TQM), the Dean of Students Affairs, Prof. Umar Aliyu, described the projects as a welcome development that would surely enhance the wellbeing of students with disabilities in the university.
Aliyu said it has been glaring that students with disabilities faced with challenges compared to students without disabilities especially on access to facilities noting that the present friendly structures would ease their movements.
He said the structures spotlighted their importance and expressed hope that the University management would continue to ensure that in future any physical structure to be built should be in compliance with the National Disability Act.
”The projects will in no small measure enhance their learning, as before the commission’s interventions there was not such friendly facilities’ toilets, ramps and other facilities and they find it difficult to have access to lectures and other activities.
”The projects will surely give them encouragement to seek for more admission into the institution, the presence of friendly facilities will surely ease their sufferings.
”I suggested that all structure should be made people with disability friendly to accord them ease movement and other suitable needs.
”Although admission is policy issue, however, in my opinion providing certain percentage of admission quota to be allocated to persons with disabilities will be a good direction.
”We call on the commission to do more in other places in the institution and expand to other educational institutions at all levels. ” Aliyu said.
The Dean added that the presence of disability friendly facilities would encouraged more students with disabilities to further their studies through seeking admission as they are assured of inclusive structures and services.
He further advised the commission to consider more interventions in other areas in the university as well as consider other educational areas such secondary and primary schools.
Mr Dahiru Ayuba, Chairman of Sign Language Interpreters Association of Nigeria, Sokoto state chapter, said the projects would reduce discrimination encountered by students with physical disabilities.
Ayuba stressed that by the project, persons with disabilities felt belonging in the society and are encouraged to pursue future ambitions through struggle with persons without disabilities.
”Previously students with disabilities face with enormous challenges as many are from less privileged families that could not cater to sponsor care-givers to them go through the rudiments especially in schools.
”Now students with disabilities are confident to further their studies in UDUS with disability friendly facilities’ as they are aware that period of discrimination and difficulties are over, ” Ayuba said.
He urged the commission to provide same facilities in other institutions and appeal to government and institutions themselves to provided people with disability friendly facilities to encourage more enrollments.
A 400 level Chemistry student in UDUS, Kadija Ladan, expressed excitement over the projects as life would be more comfortable for students with disabilities.
Ladan said she alongside her colleagues with disabilities find it difficult to manage their lives in the campus as they must ensure special daily preparations of their daily activities.
She said access to lectures theaters, halls and classes were difficult to students with disabilities and now the projects would surely ease our lives.
She advised incoming students to apply for admission as disability friendly facilities’ were provided for their convenient studies in UDUS.
Another 400 level Student of Statistics department, Malam Yahaya Yusuf, said the project would impact positively to the lives of students with disabilities as they feel belonging to the society and their needs were considered.
Shuni expressed optimism that the efforts would boost participation of persons with disabilities in educational pursued.
”I study mathematics courses alongside other three persons with disabilities, usually we have parked their motorcycles far and crawl from there to lecture halls because of lack of ramps.
”Some of us have to be lifted by our colleagues without disabilities to enter classes and halls, now with presence of disability friendly facilities’ we go direct using ramps.
”A lecturer even allow us to enter into the hall with our motorcycles, as he said our tricycles and motorcycles are our shoes, and everybody was allowed to enter hall with his shoes, so we can go into the hall with our motorcycles. ” Yusuf said.
According to him, the facilities would surely encourage more student to further their studies because they now heard and understand how simple they find living in the campus, unlike before when the facilities were absent.
Moreover, the Secretary, Association of National Association of Persons With Physical Disabilities (NCPWD) in Sokoto state, Malam Muktar Doki, commended National Disability Commission on the projects and assured to embark on awareness creation among their members to enroll on formal education because of the recent encouragement.
