Janet Samuel, Abuja
The Federal Government has directed all tertiary institutions to offer direct admission to candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum admissible scores into the programmes of their choice after writing UTME.
Minister of State for Education, Professor. Yusuf Sununu gave the directive on Tuesday in Abuja during the first Africa Regional Conference on Equal Opportunity of Access to Higher Education (ARCEAHED).
According to him, the Ministry’s target to enroll 825,000 students with disabilities cumulatively over the next five years, demonstrates Nigeria unwavering commitment to realizing equal access to education.
Sununu informed that the policy takes into consideration the unique needs of the vulnerable groups vis-à-vis their needs for quality education and assurance that every child, including those with disability, will have adequate opportunities to acquire adequate skills to realize their full potential later in life.life.
The minister praised the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), for championing the cause of equal access to education for all, particularly persons with disabilities.
“JAMB also sought and obtained approval at the 67th National Council on Education meeting to exempt candidates with disabilities from Post/UTME Screening. I, therefore, reiterate, as already announced, that all tertiary institutions in Nigeria are to offer admissions to all candidates with disabilities who possess minimum admissible scores into the programmes of their choice after writing UTME.”
Prof. Sununu noted that, the theme of the two-day conference, ‘Advancing the Potentials of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in Educational and Economic Development’ is quite appropriate, as it speaks directly to the heart of the nation’s shared mission which ensured that every individual, regardless of their challenges. is given opportunity to thrive.
The JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, in his address, called for the establishment of a support centre for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to facilitate access to education.
He said, the centre, with the assistance of bodies such as JEOG, would be able to attract appropriate technology and policies to make life and study easy for people with special needs., adding that each of the six geopolitical zone should have at least one branch.
“Education remains the cornerstone of self-actualization, and it is our collective duty to ensure that everyone, regardless of ability, has access to higher education,” he added.
