…. Bags Award of Excellence in recognition of his Charity in Africa
By Lanre Oloyede
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, has called the attention of stakeholders in the disability community to the need to mainstream inclusive basic education perspectives into the heart of the African development agenda.
Hon. Abba Isa made the call at the Guanella Africa Summit and Public Lecture on Rehabilitation and Inclusive Basic Education held at the Prestigious Hall of University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
The Senior Special aide to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was also honored at the event with an Award of Excellence in Charity in Africa, noted that achieving inclusive education demands concrete action and unwavering commitment which requires breaking down the barriers that hinder access and participation, whether they be physical, economic, or attitudinal.
The SSAP maintained that there was need to invest in accessible infrastructure, teacher training, and support services to ensure that every child can learn in an environment that meets their unique needs.
He added that we must promote inclusive teaching practices that celebrate diversity, accommodate different learning styles, and foster a culture of respect and inclusion.
“Moreover, we must address the root causes of exclusion, tackling poverty, discrimination, and social inequality head-on. We must advocate for policy reforms that prioritize inclusive education and allocate resources accordingly. And we must engage in dialogue and collaboration across sectors and stakeholders to build partnerships that amplify our impact and scale up our efforts,” the presidential aide stated.
Hon. Abba Isa reiterated the unwavering commitment of the current administration to advocating for the rights and inclusion of every member of society, especially those with special needs and to foster inclusive basic education across the African continent in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The special aide to the Nigerian president recalled that President Tinubu had demonstrated the commitment of his administration to the wellbeing of Persons with Disabilities when he signed the Instrument of Ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria.
According to him, the instrument was adopted at the 30th Ordinary Session of the Assembly, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the January 29, 2018.
The SSAP noted that the theme of the summit, “Taming the Wilderness of Hope: Mainstreaming Inclusive Basic Education Perspectives in the African Development Agenda,” resonates profoundly with the mission of the present administration to build a more inclusive and equitable society.
“Unfortunately, in Africa, millions of children with disabilities continue to face barriers to accessing quality education. They are often marginalized, stigmatized, and denied the opportunity to reach their full potential. This is not only a grave injustice but also a significant impediment to our continent’s progress
“Government alone cannot do it. That is why we need strong partnership and collaborations from all major players in the inclusivity movement. My office is connected to 36 States of the federation and the FCT and I am open to partnership and collaborations to realize this noble mission of inclusive education not only in Nigeria but on the African continent.
“The mandate Mr President gave to me is to liaise with MDAs, sub-national governments, development partners, donor agencies and other stakeholders in the disability community to create avenues of opportunities for the inclusion of disability requirements and perspectives in the formulation of their policies, plans and programs in order to provide a friendly environment for Persons with Disabilities to thrive.
“As we embark on this journey, let us draw inspiration from the spirit of hope that defines the African continent. Let us harness the collective strength of our diversity to build a future where every child, regardless of background or circumstance, can realize their dreams and contribute to the flourishing of our societies. Also, i call on all MDAs to live up to their mandate. Stakeholders in the education sector must be alive to their responsibilities. The UBEC should demonstrate to us in this conference how the 2% of funding quota for special needs education have been utilised; we require answer in this meeting because my office will definitely come on auditing expedition,” the SSAP stated.
While commending the organizers, Hon. Abba Isa expressed his sincere gratitude to the Congregation of the Servants of Charity (Opera Don Guanella) in Africa and the University of Ibadan for organizing this vital event, and for bestowing upon him the Recognition and Award of Excellence in Charity in Africa.
The Presidential aide assured them of his partnership with their mission and expressed confidence that together “we will surmount every challenge and make the society a better place for all of us.”
In his keynote address, the special guest of honour, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, ably represented by Professor Babatunde, revealed that
there’s a paradigm shift in Implementing special education intervention in basic education institutions in Nigeria with the sole aim of carrying everyone on board including students with special needs.
Speaking on the Nigeria National Policy on education, Senator Akume noted that the policy mandates that we have Special classrooms in public schools under the UBE Scheme coordinated by the Universal Basic Education Commission.
He added that the national policy on Special education mandates all public schools to be accessible to persons with disabilities, stressing that accordingly, every school shall have a trained professional to cater for educational development of Persons With Disabilities and to have special facilities for children with disabilities.
The SGF stated that UBE has been directed to institute New implementation strategy under which an effective inclusive school program will be implemented in basic education institutions in the country.
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