Members of the House of Representatives on Thursday tasked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the need to ensure the implementation of global standards on national policy on education with a view to addressing the high rate of illiteracy across the country.
The resolution was passed as a sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Moshood Olanrewaju Oshun, who observed that many individuals, including educators and parents, are unaware of special education laws and policies, leading to gaps in implementation and ineffective support for special needs students.
In his lead debate, Hon. Oshin observed that “Special education, also known as special-needs education, aided education, alternative provision, and exceptional student education, is the practice of educating students to cater for individual differences, disabilities, and special needs.
“The House also notes that the National Policy on Education (NPE) requires adhering to global standards for improving education for children with special needs, promoting inclusive access, and creating a less restrictive learning environment.
“The House is aware that Section 18(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) provides that ‘Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels’.
“The House is concerned that the present practice of the NPE in public schools remains inconsistent with existing global standards due to the inadequacy of qualified staff, learning materials, software, and equipment such as braille devices, audiometers, Auditory Steady State Response (ASSR), mobility devices, as well as specialised facilities for students with special needs, among others.
“The House is worried that many individuals, including educators and parents, are unaware of special education laws and policies, leading to gaps in implementation and ineffective support for special needs students.
“The House is cognizant of the need to ensure that all persons with special needs develop at a pace commensurate with their abilities and to contribute to the socio-economic and technological development of the nation,” he noted.
To this end, the lawmakers urged the Federal Ministry of Education to commence full implementation of the National Policy on Education with regard to special needs education and ensure that adequate resources are made available to provide a conducive learning environment in public schools for pupils and students with special needs.
In order to address the concerns raised, the House mandated its Committee on Disabilities to investigate the non-implementation of the National Policy on Special Needs Education to ensure speedy implementation and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.