Zainab Olufunmi – Kano
This report sheds light on the challenges faced by people living with special needs (PwSN) in Nigeria, particularly in accessing education and religious teachings. A significant issue highlighted is the lack of inclusive education facilities and resources for PwSN. Despite constitutional protection and international treaties ensuring their rights, there’s a disparity between policy and implementation.
Inclusive education is a distant goal due to insufficient funding, inadequate training for educators, and a dearth of necessary teaching materials and infrastructure. Discrimination against PwSN persists within communities, fueled by societal attitudes often influenced by superstitions and misconceptions.
Recent initiatives, such as the donation of educational materials (including sign language resources) by the Adolescent Health and Information Projects and Markaz Ihyaahi Sunnah Waikhmaadi Bid’ah, demonstrate positive steps toward inclusivity. However, these efforts alone are insufficient to tackle the systemic challenges faced by PwSN.
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The case of a 27-year-old Muslim living with special needs unaware of Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) underscores the urgent need for specialized education models catering to religious teachings for PwSN. Ustadh Ibraheem Amosa (Albany) emphasizes the necessity for well-funded special schools equipped with qualified teachers and infrastructure to impart Quranic teachings to those with special needs.
The report calls for a comprehensive approach, urging the government to bridge the gap between policies and action by allocating substantial budgets for inclusive education, developing specialized teaching methodologies for Quranic studies, and enforcing policies that promote inclusivity. It’s an urgent call to transform rhetoric into action, ensuring that the rights and educational needs of PwSN are no longer overlooked or dismissed in Nigerian society.