Dr Badewa Adejugbe-Williams, an expert in the management of students with diverse physical and neurodevelopment disabilities, has decried the dearth in the educational management of students with various disabilities in the country.
Adejugbe-Williams, who is the founder, Royal School of Education Therapy Foundation (RSETF), an Abuja based school for children with disability like autism, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy, stated this at a news conference, on Tuesday in Abuja.
She said that as part of efforts to address the deficiencies, the foundation had concluded plans to train educators and specialists to deal with variety of students and their needs.
She disclosed that the foundation would partner with the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo to achieve its objective.
Adejugbe-Williams, also revealed that the programme had been approved by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) to offer series of one-year online Special Education Teacher Certificate Courses.
“The Royal School of Educational Therapy Foundation (RSETF) is aware of the skills deficiency in the educational management of the ordinary student across the country.
“This deficiency is greater emphasised when dealing with students with disabilities who require educational specialists to help their learning process, and educational management to help them fulfil their innate potential.
“With the absence of educational specialists, who understand the issues at play when dealing with students with diverse learning styles and abilities, there is the very likelihood that these students would eventually drop out of school, get stalled in their educational progress, be largely ignored, or fall through the gaps.
” RSETF recognises the need to train educators to deal with variety of students and student-needs and therefore partner with the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, with the aim of promoting school effectiveness and improved learning outcomes for all pupils, especially those with diverse physical and neurodevelopment disabilities in Nigeria,” she said.
She explained that the partnership programmes are in Regular Special Education Teacher Certificate, Advanced Special Education Teacher Certificate and International Special Education Teacher Certificate.
“Others are Advanced Special Education Teacher Certificates in partnership with both FCESO and IBCCES.”
NAN
