*Gov Mai Mala*
Making a case for the under-reported and underrepresented physically challenged and people with learning and developmental disabilities in Yobe
This epistle is motivated by three exciting development in Yobe state. First, the Governor’s declaration of a state of emergency in the education sector. Second, the appointment of a technical committee on education to guide the implementation and last, the Governor’s intention to sponsor the education of 700 students to study abroad.
*Gambo*
For me, this is exciting, timely, commendable, and something that will serve as a legacy project for Mai Mala’s administration. Not only that, this laudable project has the potential of making a substantial positive impact beyond the shore of not only Yobe state but the entire country. However, as commendable as this laudable initiative, the criteria for selecting prospective candidates do not explicitly point out any provision that caters for the inclusion of students with special educational needs. In other words, the directive is silent about people with variable learning and development disabilities and physically challenged students such as autistic or dyslexic students. Others are those with mobility and physical impairments, spinal cord disability, vision disability, or deaf and hard of hearing students, among others.
The big question is, why am i making a case for this under-represented group, and why should anyone care?
I am making this case because it is becoming nearly impossible for this disadvantaged group to compete favourably with other students across almost all academic institutions in the country. Unlike in different climate, our students with special educational needs lack necessary enabling environment to thrive academically. For the sake of clarity, let us ponder over and ask ourselves whether our schools have:
– Dedicated programmes for all of its teachers and support staff in developing a friendly learning environment for people with special educational needs.
– Dedicated assistive tools such as a text to speech, magnification, dictaphone, scribe (for people with a disability or injury that affects their ability to write legibly), or readers (for people with visual impairment) to support their studies.
– Policies for making a reasonable adjustment for their needs such as having a separate room for writing exams, arrangement for giving out modified exam papers (for people using braille or those who require different formats) such as enlarged font, coloured paper, and electronic copies during exams. Others include provision for supervised rest breaks and personal time reminders (for special needs students) and extra time (15-25 per cent) for dyslexic students
– Special intervention for this underrepresented group at either FG, state or LGA level that can cater for their needs such as specialist equipment, travel costs, one-to-one study skills and mentoring to mention just but a few.
– Support for such students having difficulty for physically writing notes, or struggle to remember what is being said for long enough to write it down, or those that make lots of notes but cannot read them back afterwards. Other supports include the ability to offer lecture notes in advance to those students, loan for a recording device, transcription of audio materials used during lectures, sign language interpreter or learning assistants to take note on their behalf.
– Unhindered access to everyday services such as classrooms, toilets, labs, lecture theatres, and sickbay, among others.
My hunch is, most of these issues I raised might be on paper, or we lack the resources, enabling laws and will to put them into practice. As a result, our special needs students are always disadvantaged and finding it difficult to compete. In turn, this will lead to most of them not having the required minimum qualification to allow them to benefit from various interventions embarked by the government.
Thus, the above background forms the motivation behind this epistle to Governor Mai Mala. Against this, I am urging the Governor to consider the possibility of sponsoring at least one special needs student from each local government to be included among the beneficiaries. This will enable them to also study in an environment that is favourable to their needs. A quick way to do it is for the government to enrol this disadvantaged group into Universities that will be willing to offer foundational courses to these students. By doing so, this will pave the way for their entry into the University.
Remember, no amount spent in uplifting the future of this disadvantaged group will be a waste.
Sir, give it a try and posterity will judge you positively.