FCT gets committee on disabled kids

The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) has inaugurated a 14-man Inclusive Education  Policy Drafting Committee (IEPDC) to ensure policies on inclusive education in the FCT. The initiative, with the support of USAID through its strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE) programme in Nigeria, was meant to bridge the gaps of the education […]

The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) has inaugurated a 14-man Inclusive Education  Policy Drafting Committee (IEPDC) to ensure policies on inclusive education in the FCT. The initiative, with the support of USAID through its strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE) programme in Nigeria, was meant to bridge the gaps of the education deficiencies of children with disabilities in the FCT.

Speaking at the inauguration, the Director Science and Technology Education in the FCT, Mrs. Rosemary Umana, said many special schools in the country are below standard and that something urgent must be done through the inclusive basic education.

She however asked the committee to work together and ensure a better policy on inclusive education was formulated for the benefit of all children in the country.

President of the JONAPWD, Ms. Ekaete Judith Umoh, said that the committee made up of all stakeholders would no doubt work hard to ensure inclusive and accessible education for the teeming number of out-of-school children with disabilities in the FCT and Nigeria.

She lamented the non-inclusive, inaccessible environment and unfriendly policy as the reason why persons with disabilities in Nigeria were unable to fully maximize their potential and contribute to national development.

“Therefore, it is not insignificant to say that children with disabilities lack access to an inclusive school environment, hence, USAID/ SACE are funded project designed to address the gaps identified in mainstreaming inclusive practices in schools and make inclusive education accessible for the teeming number of out-of -school children with disabilities in FCT of universal basic education in Nigeria.

“With the inauguration of FCT inclusive education policy drafting committing IEPDC, we are confident that school environments would be made inclusive and accessible for the teeming number of out-of-school children with disabilities in the FCT,” she said.