“Government should amend existing schools structures to meet inclusive education standard and also to break down all known barriers in the way of persons with disabilities.”
Human Development Initiative (HDI), in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria and persons with disabilities on Wednesday, staged a peaceful walk to the Lagos House of Assembly.
The walk was to demand a review of the policy on inclusive education, among other issues.
The sensitisation walk began from Allen Avenue Junction, Ikeja and terminated at the assembly complex to present a list of demands to Speaker Mudasiru Obasa.
Olufunso Owasanoye, HDI executive director, noted at the assembly complex that no child of school age should be left behind.
Ms Owasanoye demanded that the government’s policy documents on inclusive education be reviewed and activated by the Ministry of Education.
She appealed to the assembly to increase the share of budgetary allocation to education in the ongoing deliberations on the 2022 budget to support gender-responsive and inclusive education.
“Government should amend existing schools structures to meet inclusive education standard and also to break down all known barriers in the way of persons with disabilities,” the HDI boss urged. “There should be the provision of ramps, electronic interactive materials, braille materials for the visually-impaired and special teachers administering teaching in an all-inclusive environment.”
She added, “All tertiary institutions owned by the Lagos State government should have a Department of Inclusive Education. Many children with disabilities cannot go to school because of lack of knowledge of the location of inclusive facilities.”
Victor Akande, the chairman of the House Committee on Human Rights, Judiciary and Public Petitions, who represented Obasa, promised that the Lagos parliament would look into laws affecting people with disabilities critically to amend them to suit the purpose of the protest.
Mr Akande assured that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu would also take a close look at the laws.
(NAN)
