The Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC in line with it’s strides to meeting it’s SDGs Goal 4 geared towards providing basic education to Nigeria’s children, was also contending with providing an enabling environment to accommodate pupils with special needs of all forms and shapes, so as to bridge the gap of the natural occurrences through disability with special education.
Under the current leadership and handlers of the program, The Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC, Dr Hammed Bobboyi has not left any stone unturned, to ensure seamless policies for pupils with special needs that required not only special education, but special attention towards achieving their lives potentials.
Therefore, concerted policies are being put in place to re-awaken the awareness and veracity of action, in line with the nomenclature of the program through further orientation and re-orientation across the country.
The commission’s decision to embark on seminars, workshops, talkshops and symposiums on the special education program kick-started recently in Abuja, with not only education stakeholders, but administrators and managers of State Universal Basic Education Commission SUBEBs across the country, including the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Abuja.
With less than 200, 00O children with special needs in Nigeria, comprising of 1OO,863 Male, and 88,863 Female totalling 189,00 derived from the National Personel Audit NPA carried out by the commission, efforts must be redoubled not allow the current cumulative figure gets out of hand, through negligence of implementors and policy makers across the sector.
The synergy embarked upon by Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC and States Basic Universal Education Commission SUBEBs will bring about high degree of attention and performance, geared towards meeting both local and international standards, as well as compete favourably in all areas locally.
With renewed approach by UBEC, there is no doubt that inclusive education through orientation and re-orientation will be highly prioritized, through adequate attention, financial commitment and friendly policy thrust in line with the best practices and by extension, the religious implications that placed children with special needs, special attention in all ramifications.
The commission had already set the ball rolling with engagement of technical experts to review, re-adjust and re-invigorate the program with selected experts in all areas to drive the new policy through a vogue approach.
It had also mobilised technological know- how, instructional materials, in line with the needs assessment and temperament of the pupils, envisaging standard and likely review to meet the global standard towards realising education for all, not minding shortcomings of all sorts.
The determination to provide individuals with special needs desire, ensure common learning environment, vision and mission to achieve exceptional learning to promote special education in Nigeria was also considered.
No doubt, UBEC has set up the neccessary machinery and measures in place, taking cognizance of the renewed vigour of the UN SDGs meant to ressolve all critical issues across developing and underdeveloped countries using the template of ‘Decade of Action’ 2020-2030 agenda.
*Yusuf writes from Abuja, can be reached on [email protected].
