TQM report,
National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) has commenced move to develop a curriculum on disability studies which would be mainstreamed into the general studies in the higher institutions.
The Executive Secretary, NCPWD, Mr. James David Lalu disclosed this on Monday during opening ceremony of a 5-day Workshop on Curriculum Development on Disability and Inclusive Development.
Mr. Lalu in his eloquent speech said that the commission drawn the authority to develop a curriculum on disability from Section 18 subsection 2 of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities Act 2018.
He appreciated stakeholders from the academia and persons with disabilities and state that the outcome of the workshop, different regulatory bodies of tertiary institutions are waiting to receive it including Federal Ministry of Education.
Speaking further, he strongly believe that based on his discussion with some of Vice Chancellors of different Universities, the curriculum would not be difficult to be accepted by Universities and other higher institutions.
He said that the whole idea is all about making education attractive for Persons with disabilities in accordance with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to the Commission.
He expressed worry about the high number of children with disabilities that are out of school and promised that the commission would introduce several educational programmes to encourage PWDs to go back to school.
He stated that one of the programme is awards of scholarship to PWDs which would cut across PWDs from primary, secondary to tertiary education.
He frowned at the level of rejection of persons with disabilities and vowed to ensure that any head of school or principal that reject any PWD to get punished.
He reminded that NCPWD has relationship with Nigeria Police and they would be establishing disability desk office in all their formations and this is to ensure that any violation of disability act would be punished.
He informed that the commission would collaborate National Institute Strategic Studies to ensure that disability education is taken to all Nigerians.
A professor of Special Education, University of Ibadan, Ademokoya Julius in his goodwill message appreciated the Commission for the wonderful work saying that if the Commission can achieve a lot at short time in the next five years, the world would be amazed with where the commission should be.
He said that the workshop is coming at the right time because it coincided with curriculum review of National Universities Commission(NUC) so there is a huge responsibility on the part of committee to ensure that curriculum come out good for seamless adoption by NUC.
He urges all members of the committee to see the task as an opportunity to change the face of disability education in Nigeria as well as rewriting the fortune of PWDs for generations to come.
“It is a call for sacrifices, dedication, and commitment for this generation and next generation” he added.
The President, Nigeria Association of the Blind, Ishiaku Adamu, in his goodwill message said that leaders of disability community is pleased with the commission because this is another milestone recorded by the commission and leaders of disability community are in full support of the initiative.
He said that the initiative is important because it would be opportunity of “catch them young”, an opportunity to get young people to understand what disability and disability inclusion means and how they can promote disability inclusion.
The representative of The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education(NCCE), Dr. Iqwo Okon said that she is excited with the idea, it is a great idea so NCCE will continue to partner with NCPWD and at end the developed curriculum be sent to them in order to mainstream it with their already reviewed curriculum on special education.
Sis. Juliana R. Bodang from University of Jos said that she thanked God for the initiative and she is pleased to hear that the ES, NCPWD is in consultation with the Vice Chancellors of various universities.
“When the curriculum is full developed, it would be easily adopted by Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education to mainstream persons with disabilities because they are part and parcel of the society” she added.
She urged her fellow members of the Committee to work with all their heart on the assignment given to them to come up with something concert that will go a long way to ameliorate the sufferings of PWDs and all Universities and other higher institution would be proud of.
She concluded by urging every members of the committee to brace up for action and work for the good of the entire educational sector.
