DSFN

By Uzair Adam

The Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria (DSFN) has called on the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) to integrate and strengthen inclusive education policies, curricula and practices to ensure equitable access to quality education for all learners, particularly children with disabilities.

The development was disclosed in a statement signed on Saturday by the Executive Secretary of NERDC, Prof. Salisu Shehu, following a courtesy visit by a delegation of the foundation led by its Programme Coordinator, Adeola Adeniji, to the council’s headquarters on June 25.

Speaking during the visit, Adeniji said inclusive education ensures that all learners, including children with disabilities, those with learning difficulties, language barriers and other marginalized conditions, receive quality education in mainstream schools with the necessary support.

She expressed concern that despite Nigeria’s commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), children with disabilities and other vulnerable groups in the Federal Capital Territory and across the country continue to face significant barriers to quality education.

According to her, the challenges include non-inclusive curricula, inadequate numbers of teachers trained in special needs education, inaccessible school infrastructure, lack of assistive technologies and weak implementation of inclusive education policies at sub-national levels.

Adeniji noted that NERDC, as the nation’s apex curriculum development body, occupies a strategic position to embed inclusive education principles into national curricula, teacher competency frameworks and instructional materials.

“We call on NERDC to take urgent and deliberate action on curriculum reform for inclusivity, explicitly incorporating Universal Design for Learning principles, integrating disability-inclusive content, sign language modules and Braille literacy provisions into approved curriculum frameworks,” she said.

The programme coordinator also urged the council to ensure that curriculum materials are produced in accessible formats, including large print, audio and digital versions, and to develop a national competency framework for inclusive education that would be adopted by pre-service and in-service teacher training programmes.

Responding, Prof. Shehu commended the foundation for its resilience and commitment to education and humanitarian service, noting that persons with special needs are often neglected in development planning and policy implementation in Nigeria.

He encouraged the organisation to expand its advocacy beyond educational inclusion by promoting the mainstreaming of children with special needs into society.

According to him, efforts should be directed towards preparing such children to function effectively within society, stressing that segregation could hinder rather than advance their development.

The Executive Secretary expressed NERDC’s willingness to strengthen advocacy and partnerships aimed at advancing inclusive education and pledged the council’s support for the foundation’s cause within the scope of its mandate.

He assured the delegation that their concerns and requests would receive due consideration and reaffirmed NERDC’s commitment to ensuring that no one is left behind in the pursuit of quality education.

Also speaking, the Head of the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC), Dr. Chima Egbujuo, said NERDC consistently takes  into account the needs of all learners in curriculum development processes, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.

He emphasized that the council operates on the principle that no child should be left behind and disclosed that NERDC has a dedicated Special Needs Education Unit actively working to support the participation of persons with disabilities in its programmes.

Egbujuo added that the council takes pride in ensuring that persons with disabilities are represented in its activities and are able to participate and interact freely with others.

In his remarks, the Special Assistant (Technical) to the Executive Secretary, Dr. Garba Gandu, commended the foundation’s advocacy efforts and noted that NERDC has developed several policies and frameworks over the years to promote inclusion.

Similarly, the Head of the Special Needs Education Braille (SNEB) Unit, Dr. Ndubuisi Iroham, highlighted the council’s longstanding efforts to support persons with disabilities.

He explained that NERDC has established facilities such as a Braille Press and specialised studios to provide accessible educational resources, reaffirming that inclusive education remains central to the council’s mandate.

Members of the DSFN delegation included Nenkang Banaya of DSFN; Ayobami Adefioye and Thomas Tobi David of The Engraced Ones; Peter Chidi Ugboije and Saidat Usman of the Joint Association for Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD); and Bekky Selekere of RMB Autism Foundation.

Also present at the meeting was the Head of NERDC’s Policy and Programmes Unit, Dr. Famade Oladiran.