By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
It has been disclosed that since the commencement of the implementation of Universal Basic Education programme in Nigeria, adequate attention has always been paid to special needs adulation just as it has commenced the training of 1,878 selected teachers on inclusive education delivery process.
The disclosure was made by the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Hamid Bobboyi at the training of 1,878 selected teachers on inclusive education delivery process in Nigeria holding in the Six geo-political zones in Nigeria simultaneously.
He stated that, “For example, 2% of the Federal Government’s Consolidate Revenue Fund dedicated as intervention fund for the implementation of the UBE programme is allocated to Special Needs Education.”
According to him, “The Federal Government, through the Universal Basic Education Commission and other basic education stakeholders, has committed itself to ensuring that the goal of the basic education programme is achieved in all its ramifications.”
He added that, “While the Commission is pursuing the expansion of access to quality basic education for all children of school age, special attention is being paid to the category of children who can easily miss schooling due to one form of physical challenge or the other.”
He stressed that the drive towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 4, which enjoins all signatory countries to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030” puts additional pressure on education providers to do more in the area of special needs education.
The UBEC ES stated that in the design and implementation of programmes to meet the educational needs of children with special needs, the Commission has always collaborated with the private providers of special needs education who, for a long time played a leading role in special needs education provision.
He however stated that, in the last few decades the presence of government in the establishment and provision of special needs education has increased.
According to him, “For example, of the 1,019 Special Basic Schools captured during the UBEC 2022/2023 National Personnel Audit, Government Schools were 515 with an enrolment of 124,867 learners in Basic Education. There were 504 private special schools with an enrolment of 51,140 learners.”
“This contribution of the private providers to Special Needs education provision, particularly those that are non-fee paying, is recognised and made it possible for them to access support fund from the Federal Government UBE Intervention Fund,” he added.
According to him,”About four years ago, the Commission introduced the procurement of assistive technologies that can benefit individual special needs learners, according to his or her form of disability, and their schools.”
“Among others, braille machines, crutches, wheel chairs, learning materials for autistic children, and digital materials have been supplied to schools which were assessed and found to to be useful to learners who needed this equipment. This intervention will continue so that more learners can be assisted to break the barrier to quality education,” he added.
He explained that the teacher training, “we are embarking upon today, is to build the capacity of basic education teachers to be able to address the peculiar challenges of special needs children.”
The Commission conducted needs assesment in 2023 which revealed wide gaps in the teachers’ knowledge and skills in dealing with leamers with mixed abilities in the same school, early detection of learners’ form of disabilities, remedial actions to take, where cases can be referred for further attention, and developing affective attitudes in the teachers and learners to be empathic and accommodating towards other members of the school community, irrespective of their physical background.
According to him, the purpose of the training was to close the gaps and ensure that Inclusive education becomes an integral part of the school fecitures
Hamid Bobboyi stressed, “Let me express our appreciation to the resource persons who are facilitating the training workshop. I urge the teachers to pay keen attention to the proceedings of the workshop because their role is very crucial in what goes on in the school and how learning takes place in the learners, which is the primary purpose of schooling. You should recommit your selves to assisting the learners entrusted in your care to be functional, useful to themselves and their society.”
Earlier in a welcome address, the Director of Special Programmes of Universal Basic Education Comission Dr. (Mrs.) Aisha. A. Abdul stated that the training was organized by the Commission to build the capacity of another 1878 teachers comprising of 50 selected teachers from 25 conventional schools and 2 selected teachers from the 14 currently operational SMART schools an inclusive education implementation processes Nationwide.
She stated that to achieve the objectives, the Commission has developed an Inclusive Basic Education Training Manual which contains distinct and relevant items in ten Modules for the capacity building of teachers in the country.
The activity will take place in 3-phases and in Six – geopolitical Zones Phase 1. Kaduna for North-West and Ibadan (Oyo) for South-West. Phase 2- Akwa-Ibom for South-South and Bauchi for North-East. Phase 3- Nasarawa for North-Central and Imo for South-East.
The objectives of the training are to
Build the capacity of teachers on Inclusive Education Principles Ideologies and Implementation Processes and Equip the participants with up-to-date global best practices on implementation of inclusive education.
Also to Broaden the horizon of the participants to the content of the training manual and familiarized the participants on the relevance of inclusive education and expose them to basic rudiments of avoiding rejection of willing/intending learners with disability access to school.
Others are to develop the capacity of substantial number of teachers that will be used for future State Based Training and strengthen stakeholders participation in inclusive education processes in Basic Education institutions.
Aisha Abdul stated that the importance of the Training cannot be over emphasized because it is meant to create an avenue to share experiences and best practices in order to enhance best performances.
“In the light of this, it is also important to let you know that in January 2024, the Commission implemented similar workshop where 409 schools and 409 teachers benefited. This means that you are the second batch of teachers that will benefit from this laudable initiative of the Commission with high number from previous one,” She said.
According to her, “This is going to be a continuous activity. This initiation was supposed to ensure that all categories of leaners get equal opportunity to education in their neighborhood school and this means that the capacity of teachers that will steer the process must be built.”
She also stated that,”Apart from this first capacity building exercise, we are hoping to follow you all up with mentoring Programmes to enable you apply the contents you theoretically learn for 3 days Intensive Training here in practical terms in your individual schools.”
According to her, “That was why as Desk Officers, we deemed it fit to request you to come from your various states so that you understand that after this training, you will be working with teachers to mentor them.”
“Along this line, the training process will be coordinated by our facilitators whom we always appreciate for their proactive response to our clarion calls in the course of implementing numerous national assignments to our facilitators, we deeply appreciate your continious support and I know that with the cooperation of the teachers you will perform beyond expectations,” She added.
She Therefore urged all participants to pay rapt and adequate attention throughout the 3 days assuring that the facilitators were carefully selected because of their deep-rooted knowledge on inclusive and special education delivery process.
According to her, “We should note we are in this today for the Nigeria Child and better development of our nation. On a final note, we are highly honored by your commitment to this course. I wish you all a successful training session and fruitful workshop.”
