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By Henry Uche
A coalition comprising the Children’s Development Centre (CDC), Irede Foundation and Festus Fajemilo Foundation has condemned the act of stigmatization and segregation against People With Disabilities (PWD) across the country, particularly in Lagos, saying disability of any kind is not a death sentence, as PWD could make impact to humanity.
Speaking at the end of its programme with the theme “United for Inclusive Education (UIE) Project,” the service director for CDC, Dr. Olanyinka Akindayomi, said stigma and segregation were becoming unbecoming and aggravate the plight of PWD.
Akindayomi implored the Lagos State ministry of education to begin to screen schoolchildren (primary and post-primary) to identify children that could have any form of disability (unknowingly to parents and guidance) for proper management.
“We must stop the stigma, prejudice and segregation against these fellow citizens. These children can do something meaningful for the country. Parents with such children should not abandon them nor do away with them.
“There should be more collaboration to build up capacity of teachers at inclusive education units. We want the Lagos State government to enforce the Disability Act, which mandates individual and corporate bodies to incorporate People With Disabilities in their scheme of things. Sadly, most organizations have not put the needed infrastructure in place to accommodate these fellow citizens. How many banks have access doors for people on wheelchairs? Do we have cheque, withdrawal and deposit booklets in Braille? It all shows that PWD are still seriously treated as pariah,” she said.
Meanwhile, the director, Child Guidance, School Counselling and Special Education, Lagos State ministry of education, Anthonia Olusola Somoye, said the Lagos State Government would continue to take care of PWD, as promised.
Somoye beckoned on parents to help the government to bring the best out of PWD.
“Parents should help us to bring the best from the these special persons. It’s not their making to be in these form. As for us, we shall not cease to meet their immediate needs as we have often do,” she said.
On her part, assistant director, School Support Services Department, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, Mrs. Twins Hilda, averred that the Lagos State government would not leave any stone unturned to carry every child along, in line with the Universal Design Learning Programme as the medium in developing an effective inclusive system.
Hilda urged teachers in the Inclusive Unit to maximize the skills imparted to them to bring out the best in every child with a disability: “We have imparted the requisite skills and methodologies (Universal Design Learning) to teachers in the Inclusive Education Unit, including how to design unique toolbox based on the peculiarity of children in their respective inclusive units.
“LASUBEB’s slogan is ‘Leave No Child Behind’ and we shall provide more instructional materials to our 31 Inclusive Units, daily meal and other basis needs to every child in this category.”
On her part, the head of operations for CDC, Ebele Oputa, posited that the consequences of despising people with disabilities would always be devastating, stressing that such people have emotions and can display displeasure whenever they feel unloved.
Oputa added that, though these special citizens may be confined in a particular environment, howbeit, their activities within their domains most definitely affect every other person in society, directly or otherwise.
“We should not leave these special persons lovelorn, they deserve every humane treatment, ignoring them is a sin against humanity and divinity. We must know that our happiness on earth is to an extent a function of other people’s state of mind. Do let us choose to love not only seemingly normal persons but every other human being, no matter the condition of the persons,” she admonished.
