Organisations seek better implementation of inclusive education policy

ORGANISATION of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) have called for improved implementation of Nigeria’s National Policy on Inclusive Education to ensure children with disabilities have equal access to quality education.

They made the call at a one-day stakeholders’ workshop to review the implementation of Nigeria’s National Policy on Inclusive Education (Revised, 2023), organised by Rights in Action (RiA) and the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD).

Dr Kehinde Oguntiyitan, Head of the Education Unit at NCPWD, said Nigeria had made significant progress in developing policies and legal frameworks to promote the educational rights of children with disabilities.

Oguntiyitan, however, said the existence of policies did not automatically translate into inclusion in schools, emphasising the need for effective implementation, adequate resources and measurable outcomes.

“What matters is how well that policy is implemented, the resources available to support it, and the difference it makes in the lives of learners.

“The National Policy on Inclusive Education (Revised, 2023) provides a clear framework for ensuring that all learners have equitable opportunities to access, participate in and benefit from quality education.

“The challenge before us is to translate that framework into everyday practice in our classrooms, schools and educational institutions across the country.”

Oguntiyitan identified barriers confronting children with disabilities, including inaccessible classrooms and school facilities, inadequate teacher preparation, limited access to assistive devices and accessible instructional materials, stigma and inadequate support services.

Other challenges, he said, included inadequate disability-disaggregated data, poverty, distance to schools and gender-related disadvantages, particularly those affecting girls with disabilities.

According to him, a child’s opportunity to learn should not depend on whether the child has a disability, where they live or whether their school has adequate resources to accommodate them.

He called for a coordinated approach involving federal and state governments, local authorities, schools, families, OPDs, civil society groups, development partners and the private sector.

Oguntiyitan said the workshop was designed to assess implementation of the revised policy, identify achievements and persistent gaps, strengthen institutional coordination and agree on practical measures to accelerate progress.

In his remarks, Mr Abdulazeez Musa, Country Director of CBM Global Disability Inclusion, said the organisation supported underrepresented groups through the Rights in Action project, funded by Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Musa, who was represented by Mr Michael Ojideran, Business Development Coordinator at CBM Global Disability Inclusion, said the project supported groups, including deaf persons and people with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities, to advocate for their inclusion.

He said inclusive education required strong collaboration among government institutions, OPDs, families, communities, schools, educators and the media.

According to him, adequate budgetary allocations were necessary to translate existing disability legislation and the inclusive education policy into practical outcomes.

Musa described OPDs as essential partners in providing lived experience, expertise and accountability in efforts to improve inclusive education.

He urged families and communities to speak out against stigma, while calling on schools and educators to create accessible learning environments for children with disabilities.

He encouraged the media to move beyond portraying persons with disabilities as objects of pity and instead promote inclusive narratives capable of influencing public attitudes and policy decisions.

“When the media tells inclusive stories, communities listen. When communities listen, attitudes change. When attitudes change, systems begin to change as well,” he said.

Also speaking, Mrs Edugie Amihere, a parent of a child with an intellectual disability, said ensuring inclusive education should not be left to parents alone but treated as a government responsibility.

Amihere said every child had a right to education, irrespective of disability or family background, adding that the government must provide the necessary tools, facilities and enabling environment for schools to accommodate all learners.

She expressed concern that children in remote communities might continue to face exclusion in spite of the existence of relevant laws and policies promoting inclusive education.

Although her children attended a private inclusive school, she questioned how children in underserved communities across the country would benefit from the policy.

She urged stakeholders to ensure that the review produced practical measures to prevent children with disabilities from being hidden or denied opportunities to develop their talents.

Source: Realnews