Group tasks government on disability challenges

With only 10 years left before 2030, ActionAid has made a call to the government to take concrete actions to recommit itself to honouring the United Nations commitment to deliver on Social Development Goal 4, by ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education opportunities for all in 2021 Appropriation Bill.     

The group noted that to ensure that no child is left behind in learning, federal and state governments should be sensitive to address disability challenges in the budgetary processes, especially for the education sector.

While speaking on the challenges faced by Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs), the Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi, said despite progress made in ratifying the policy on inclusive education in Nigeria, current education resources in the country are insufficient to achieve it, while budgets are not sensitive enough to support inclusion of PLWDs.

To commemorate the 2020 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Mrs. Rita Boyo, Head, Education Committee Joint National Association of Persons with disabilities (JONAPWD) appealed to the Federal Government to encourage teachers and make provisions for constant training for teachers who are devoted to teaching PWDs.

“I will encourage other states to have more offices for persons living with disabilities. I will also call on the Lagos State Government to establish more inclusive schools that will accommodate more PWDS. We want our teachers to be encouraged and more incentives should be given to them and also cater for the accommodation of staff, students because most of them do come from a far distance”, she said.