The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities in fulfilment of its mandate has visited the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) today 26th October, 2023 to solicit for the funding of the education of Persons with disabilities in various tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
Addressing the meeting, the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Mr. James David Lalu enumerated the need arising from the challenges faced by Persons with Disabilities in the course of pursuing higher learning at various tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.
He further disclosed that some of these constraints include lack of funds to pay tuition fees, lack of accessible facilities to the faculties of their choice Disciplines.
“It is unfortunate that many Persons with Disabilities are hampered by funding to further their education despite their determination to build capacity for their futures ” Lalu stated.
He equally mentioned the lack of accessible infrastructures that allow for inclusivity in the learning vicinity, that most institutions do not have ramps for Persons on wheelchairs and walkways for the blind.
According to him, the Commission has developed a National Minimum Accessibility Standard document which will aid compliance with building codes across higher Institutions in Nigeria.
He then added that the document has all the necessary specifications and dimensions to make public infrastructures inclusive of Persons with disabilities.Lalu, therefore, underpinned the need to support disability studies through the provisions of Assistive Devices and Technology. He however, seized the occasion to introduce an assistive device that stores electronic books up to 3,000 copies.
Responding to the demands from the Commission, the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Arc. Sonny Echono expressed his gratitude to Lalu for being a worthy ambassador of the Disability Community. He described the nascent Commission as an organization that is strategic to transforming the fortunes of Persons with Disabilities.
Echono also pledged to ensure total compliance of the National Minimum Accessibility Standards code in all the Nation’s higher institutions.”We will ensure that the institutions have plans to build infrastructures that will accommodate persons with Disabilities while they apply for scholarships for their students” he assured.
Echono hinted about the support of the TETFUND to a student who produced a hearing aid for the deaf and promised to extend such gestures towards students with Disabilities.
He however, decried the negative impact of the high foreign exchange rate which has made funding international scholarships difficult at TETFUND.
Mbanefo JohnMichaels I, head Press and Public Relations Unit, NCPWD
