...As research group seeks educational support for PWDs
The Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) Prof. Oguejiofo Ujam has said that his administration is committed to making the university's teaching and learning environment disability-friendly in all ramifications.
Ujam said this in Nsukka on Friday during a One-Day Dissemination/Training Workshop on Providing Educational Support for People With Disabilities (PWDs) in UNN, organized by the Ford Foundation Research Group on people with disabilities, and sponsored by the Ford Foundation.
He said that UNN prides itself as an institution that gives priority to PWDs
to ensure that they have smooth academic journey from admission to graduation.
"We are determined to make the UNN environment disability-friendly in teaching and learning, as well as making our infrastructure accessible and enabling for them.
"UNN prides itself as an institution that gives priority to PWDs, we have a special consideration for them on our admission, examination, among others" he said.
The VC who was represented by Prof. Romanus Ezeokonkwo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration, however, reminded PWDs that there is ability in disability, noting that when they work hard to discover their potential the sky will be their limit.
Ujam expressed the readiness of his administration to partner with the Ford Foundation, the sponsor of the research group on people with disabilities, in adopting and implementing their findings in the university
Speaking, Prof. Anthonia Achike, the leader of Ford Foundation Research Group said that the workshop was aimed at creating awareness and sensitising the university community on how to enhance education support for PWDs in the university.
She said that the workshop would also be used to present the group's research key findings in the baseline-friendly status of the survey on PWDs in UNN
"Our research findings show that there is noticeable presence of PWDs in UNN, and most of the buildings in the university are not disability-friendly.
"Also, there is no special staff for PWDs in UNN, no training of staff to teach PWDs, with poor representation of disabled people in the university management and at faculties and departments levels," she said.
Achike disclosed that the research group was working together with the university management to have a policy document that would address all barriers against PEDs.
In a remark, Prof. Nkadi Onyegegbu, Director of the Gender and Development Policy Centre (GEN-CENT) UNN, who chaired the occasion, said that some persons with disability are persistently stigmatized in various places they see themselves.
"Some people with disabilities are persistently treated in Nigeria as if they are taboos, they are overlooked, underestimated and they face all kinds of discrimination in our society.
"Also, they carry a lot of barriers with them that prevent them from accessing every right to social services, and even economic opportunity," she said.
Onyegegbu regretted that most institutions of higher learning have not done enough to make their teaching and learning environments disability-friendly.
She, however, expressed optimism that the workshop training will address the issues the PWDs are facing in society, especially at the University of Nigeria campuses, as well as provide educational support for them.
Prof.Emeka Ozoji, from the Special Needs Education Department, University of Jos, in a Keynote speech, appealed for special acceptance and support for people with disabilities, stressing that such treatment will help to remove barriers that discourage them and make them feel rejected as well as not being carried around.
In a Lead Paper presentation, Prof. Adaka Ahon, Head of Department, Special Needs Education, Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State, who spoke on the rights of persons with disabilities on campus for both staff and students identified some of the rights of people with disability to include;
"The right for physical accessibility, which entails that every structure must have ramps for disabled persons, as well as right for curricular.
"There is also a right for accommodation, which gives every disabled person the right to have an aid who will assist him or her.
"Also, people with disability as students are supposed to be considered first in hostel accommodation," he said.
The Don explained further that the disability act was signed into law in 2018 and had a five-year grace for compliance, this was as he rated UNN low in disability-friendly compliance.
"The administrative blocks of the university among other buildings for instance are not disability-friendly because they have no ramps," Ahon said.
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