By JOHN ONAH, Abuja –
The Federal Government has disclosed plans to allocate 25 percent of the national budget to the education sector.
Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman disclosed this on Monday in Abuja while declaring open a 2 day National Conference on Equal Opportunity on Access to Tertiary Education in Nigeria organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Equal Opportunity Group .
Prof. Mamman emphasized the role of stability in the system as a key priority to make the presidential promise a reality.
The minister affirmed commitment to policies that would not only promote inclusivity but ensure every Nigerian child attain the level of education they desire.
The Registrar of JAMB, Prof Ishaq Oloyede in his welcome remarks, said the conference was put together to analyze the challenges of inclusive education especially as it affects person’s with disability and possible solutions to change the narrative.
He frowned at parents of the person’s with disabilities interfering in the choice of their courses, adding that the Board tolerate that henceforth.
Goodwill messages from the National Assembly, Heads of Agencies and Person’s with disability reflect on the urgent need for a strategic roadmap for inclusive access to quality higher education in Nigeria.
On his part, the Executive secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Chris Maiyaki expressed the Commission’s readiness to introduce Courses and programmes that would deepen national capacity towards meeting the noble objectives of providing equal opportunities for persons with disabilities.
“Where necessary, decisions arising from the Conference requiring the review of curricula, would be given the needed attention, in line with our resolve to continually update and develop globally acceptable minimum academic standards for effective delivery of university education in Nigeria”.
According to him, “available statistics indicate that there are over 27 million Nigerians living with one form of disability or the other. These types of disabilities include visual, hearing, physical, intellectual and communication impairment”
“The National Policy on Education provides for inclusive education for all Nigerians. The Policy clearly stipulates that “persons with disabilities should be educated in regular schools along with their non-disabled peers”. The theme of this Conference is, therefore, very apt as it is in consonance with the UNESCO Convention Against Discrimination in Education (CADE 1960) which defines education as “all types and levels of education, the standard and quality of education and the conditions under which it is given’, he said.
He commended the Registrar/CE and the Management of JAMB for this innovation and hope that it would be sustained in other to realise it set objectives.
The highpoint of the well attended conference was the presentation of plaques to deserving tertiary institutions with preference for equal access to Education and the launch of the strategic roadmap for inclusive access to quality higher education in Nigeria by the minister of Education.
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