Lagos State government, through the Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), on Monday, handed over renovated facilities along with educational support materials to Aganju Aka Inclusive Nursery and Primary School 2, Okokomaiko, Lagos, as part of efforts to reduce out-of-school children and promote inclusive education across the state.

The General Manager, LASODA, Mrs. Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, speaking during the presentation, said that the state government under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is committed to inclusive education.

Oyetunde-Lawal stated that Lagos has approximately 50 inclusive schools, and the agency is initially focusing on upgrading the infrastructure in some of these schools, with the aim of also spotlighting the teachers to further enhance the educational system.

“With about 50 inclusive schools across the state, some of which are primary school and junior secondary school and senior secondary school, we decided to start with this, to set the tone for the conversation. Because without a doubt, we know that if we indeed are not leaving anyone behind, primary education, as well as secondary education, are very key.

“And we are optimistic that somewhere along the lines, the state government will continue to uphold her promise in ensuring that not only will the school become the hallmark, but this will become a trajectory where other inclusive units can see a comprehensive improvement, upgrade, and facelift,” she said.

Oyetunde-Lawal stated that education remains a pivotal tool for bridging the gap in inclusion and poverty, and it is essential for it to receive adequate attention.

“We are officially handing over this number of classrooms to the inclusive units of Aganju Aka school, and I hope that it improves the morale of not just the teachers, but also the students, and ensures that there is a lot. We see improvements across the board in education. And I am really optimistic about the future of inclusive education. And I know that there is a lot to be done, but let us start from here,” Oyetunde-Lawal.

Describing the facility, Oyetunde-Lawal said, “We ensure that we not only change their desk and tables, we get them global best practice materials in terms of their work tools, as well as education materials. We worked with two foundations, one foundation and then an individual who decided to take on this challenge with us.”

“And we also ensured that we provided sustainable electricity for them so that the fans can be on, the electricity bulbs can work, and even the electrical sockets for things like the laptops and computers. We are hoping that very soon we will be able to equip the teachers’ classroom with more tools so that the quality of teaching for the teachers also improves.”

She stated that the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has assured that all agencies responsible for improving education in the state will deliver quality infrastructure to support inclusive education.

The Education Secretary of Ojo Local Government Education Authority, Mr. Abiola Kolawole, appreciated the state government through LASODA for the initiative, which he described as a wonderful upgrade that will enhance both the learning system and student outcomes. He, however, urged the government to replicate the initiative in other inclusive schools across the state.

In his remarks, the Director of Social Development and Integration at LASODA, Mr. Akeem Kelani, said that the upgrading is very important to raise the standards of learning in various inclusive schools across the state, emphasising that the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has prioritised social development and the proper integration of children living with disabilities within the state.

He said, “We have so many inclusive schools in Lagos State and we will take it one star at a time to reach out to others.”

The Head Teacher of Aganju Aka Inclusive and Nursery Primary School 2, Mrs. Popoola Taiwo, as well as the Head of the Inclusive Unit School, Mrs. Fatimah Alade, praised the government for initiating a project that will improve the teaching and learning environment, especially for children with special needs.