The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, FCDO, of the UK government has asked President Bola Tinubu to use money saved from fuel subsidy removal to fund education in the country.
FCDO’s representatives, Ian Attfield, who made the call at the end of the Inclusive Education project In Nigeria, (Supporting Mainstreaming Inclusion so all can Learn Equally, SMILE), in Abuja Wednesday, said: “For the next five years or so, I’m certain we won’t be having discussions about how we can mainstream some of the inclusive education elements.
“There are many major economic changes taking place, such as the changes in fuel subsidy. It should start being deployed to support the human development of Nigeria to build education and services, among other things, that young people need.”
Also speaking at the event, Country Director of Sightsavers Nigeria, a nonprofit making organisation, Dr. Sunday Isiyaku, maintained that inclusivity in education remained the bedrock to national development.
According to him, government at all levels and communities need to ensure children with disabilities are included in the scheme of things as far as their education and future are concerned.
He explained how imperative inclusive education was to develop human capital, adding that the positive impact it had on the lives of children with disabilities and their families could not be overemphasized.
He said inclusive education was not only a basic human right, but also a powerful tool for achieving sustainable development.
In his remarks, the Technical Director, Inclusive Education, Sightsavers Global Team, Liesbeth Roolvink, said: “We have trained many people, we have so many champions now that could take this process forward in different places in Nigeria and that is our dream and our hope.”
One of the panelists at the closeout discussion, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder, TAF Africa and Convener, Disability Inclusion Nigeria, Amb Jake Epelle, pointed out that there was lack of trained teachers on inclusive education.
