May 27, 2024

The Federal Government on Monday requested to take over the management of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) School for Special Needs Children, in Kuje and Jabi, to ensure effective service delivery.

The two Schools are FCT School for the Blind and the FCT School for the Deaf.

The Schools were established in 1999 by the former Minister of FCT Lt. Gen. Jeremiah Useni, to cater for the educational and psycho-social needs of children with disabilities.

Dr James Lalu, the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), made the request, when he hosted Students of the two schools as part of activities to mark the 2024 Children’s Day, in Abuja.

Lalu said, the appeal became necessary to provide the schools with the modern facilities to ensure conducive learning environment for students with disabilities.

“We are putting the challenge before the FCT Administration if they cannot manage the schools; they should handover to the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.

“The commission will expand it and provide all the necessary amenities to make the learning environment conducive for children with disabilities in Nigeria.

“This is because our children with disabilities require all the necessary attention and support.

“Attention to look into the special needs schools, the FCT School for the Deaf in Kuje and the FCT School for the Blind in Jabi to provide the necessary amenities to these schools

“In the interim, I want to use this opportunity to call on the Minister for FCT, His Excellency Mr Nyesom Wike, we understand that there’s ongoing renovation of 50 schools in the FCT,” he said

The Executive Secretary appealed to the relevant agencies to provide the necessary tools for special schools to effectively deliver on their mandate.

“The Universal Basic Education Commission and the National Secondary Education Commission must provide the necessary facilities, educational and learning materials and make them accessible to students with disabilities.

“And in no distance time, we are going to summon this institutions to come and tell us what their challenges and plans are to meet up with the needs of students with disabilities in our schools across Nigeria.

“Because our inability to hear and see does not make us useless, we have the capacity, we have the intellect and the experiences to be able to contribute to the development of Nigeria as a country” he said.

One of the students from the FCT School for the Deaf, Yusuf Abba, who responded on behalf of the students, thanked the Executive Secretary for identifying with them as they celebrate Children’s Day.

Abba appealed to the relevant authorities to provide them with school bus and other amenities to ease their plight.(NAN)