In Takai, Karaye, Gabasawa, and Minjibir Local Government Areas of Kano State, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) are raising their voices against what they describe as painful and persistent exclusion from the education system — a system that should protect and include them under Nigerian law.
Despite the existence of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 — which guarantees every Nigerian with a disability equal access to education — the realities on the ground tell a far different and troubling story.
The deep-rooted challenges faced by this community came to light during a powerful two-day town hall meeting organized by the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE), held on April 23rd and 24th, 2025, in Kano.
The town hall served as a rare platform for marginalized voices to share their pain, their hope, and their demand for justice. But the testimonies painted a heart-wrenching picture of discrimination, ignorance, and neglect.
“He Was Abandoned Because of His Disability”
In Takai LGA, Nura Mustapha recounted a devastating story that shook the room. He spoke of a young teenage boy with a severe physical disability and bladder weakness — a child not abandoned due to poverty, but rejected by his own father due to stigma and shame.
“His father is a prominent figure in the community,” Nura said with a heavy heart. “But he doesn’t want his name associated with his son, let alone consider enrolling him in a school.”
That young boy now lives in a hospital, cut off from the educational opportunities that should be his right.
This tragic story is not an isolated case. It is a brutal reminder of how societal prejudice and institutional neglect continue to rob children with disabilities of a future.
When School Principals Say No
It gets worse.
Nura also revealed that even when families manage to break through the stigma and try to enroll their children with disabilities in school, they are often turned away.
“If these children are taken to school, we face problems with the principals. They don’t accept these types of children because they claim that the Kano State government did not give them any incentives,” he said.
These actions directly violate Section 17 of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act, which clearly states that PWDs have a right to education without discrimination. Additionally, Section 4 of the Act prohibits all forms of discrimination and provides penalties — a fine of N100,000 or six months imprisonment — for violators.
“I Was Denied Support Because I’m a Civil Servant”
For Mallam Jibrin, a respected leader within the blind community, the injustice became personal when he tried to enroll his own son in secondary school.
“I was told that because I am a civil servant, I do not qualify for free education support for children with disabilities,” he recounted.
That response stunned the community. Should employment status negate the rights of a child with a disability? The law says no, but practice in Kano says otherwise.
Kano State Government Reacts
In response to the growing outcry, the Kano State Government reaffirmed its commitment to promoting inclusive education.
Speaking to Nigeria Info, Balarabe Abdullahi Kiru, Director of Public Enlightenment at the Kano State Ministry of Education, highlighted several ongoing efforts.
He cited the World Bank-supported Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), which includes the renovation of 1,254 schools and the construction of 135 inclusive schools across the state.
“We are working to ensure all children — regardless of their physical abilities — can access quality education,” Kiru stated.
Promises vs. Reality
But for many residents in Takai, Karaye, Gabasawa, and Minjibir, government promises remain abstract. They are tired of words. What they need is action — visible, measurable, and impactful.
Until that happens, people like Nura Mustapha, Mallam Jibrin, and Ya’u Garba will continue their quiet but determined battle against an education system that has yet to fully open its doors to them.
Their message is clear: Disability is not inability. What they lack is not potential, but opportunity.
And that opportunity, guaranteed by law, must now be enforced — not tomorrow, not later, but now.
For Nigeria’s education system to be truly inclusive, laws must not just exist on paper — they must live in classrooms, in policies, and in practice.
