The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Ayuba Gufwan, has urged the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) to include the needs of visually impaired students in the curriculum development of tertiary institutions across Nigeria. This call was made during a familiarization visit to the NCCE in Abuja.
In a statement issued by the NCPWD’s Head of Media and Public Relations, JohnMichaels Mbanefo, Gufwan highlighted the obstacles that students with visual impairments face in accessing higher education, particularly at the entry level. He noted that certain subjects, such as mathematics, have become a significant challenge for visually impaired students aiming to pursue courses in the sciences.
“Please permit me to mention that certain subjects such as mathematics have become a major impediment for blind students who wish to study sciences or related disciplines due to their conditions,” Gufwan said in the statement.
The Executive Secretary expressed the NCPWD’s willingness to collaborate with the NCCE to ensure that persons with disabilities are given better consideration during the admission process for tertiary institutions.
Responding to Gufwan’s concerns, the Executive Secretary of the NCCE, Prof. Paulinus Chijioke Okwelle, stated that the Commission is responsible for regulating over 200 colleges of education in Nigeria and emphasized the importance of education in national development.
“The growth of a nation depends on the level of education of its population. No nation can rise above the capacity of its education,” Okwelle said.
Prof. Okwelle also assured that the NCPWD would be given an opportunity to provide input in the ongoing curriculum review, which is aimed at making education more inclusive for all Nigerians, particularly persons with disabilities. He promised that the Commission would take the necessary steps to address any forms of discrimination that students with disabilities might face.
The statement concluded with a commitment from both the NCPWD and the NCCE to work together towards creating an education system that accommodates the needs of visually impaired students and ensures equal opportunities for all.
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