Importance of Inclusive Education in Nigeria,Experiences Drawn from Asadullah Abdulazeez and Patience Agbamu
By Aluta News
We all speak of quality education but fail to realize the dire need for inclusive education in Nigeria.
One of the reasons why the country lags behind is because more than half of the population are yet to realize that persons with disabilities and those without disabilities have a symbiotic relationship in learning.
I had the rare privilege of being a benefactor of such relationship and that has played a huge role in my academic feat.
I have been intellectually sound since elementary school but meeting Asad in Government Secondary School Kwali made me realize my hidden academic weaknesses and how to overcome them.
Despite being blind Asad has the brain of a machine; he assimilates very fast and rarely forgets. However, studying his brailed notes was exhausting, he preferred to listen to recordings from previous classes.
Unfortunately, some of these recordings were not really educative. As a smooth and fast reader who was one of those reading for the entire class during literature lessons, I became Asad’s study mate.
Despite being a good reader, I needed to read a page multiple times before grabbing everything and sometimes I forget few minutes before examination as I lacked enough time to go through all my notes again.
Asad and I made a great study team as we complimented each other; I read my notes and texts aloud and being a fast assimilator, he would ask me questions after reading each page and whenever I found difficulty understanding a page, he would break it down in simple terms.
Studying became faster and less stressful for both parties, we had more time to attempt past questions and were able to assist others academically.
Asad was always with me at the hall thirty minutes before each exam for some brain exercise, that helped us excel academically; Asad was the Best Graduating Student while I graduated as one of the best female students in GSS Kwali.
I went on to being awarded the “Best Graduating Student in Political Science” in 2019 as we never stopped communicating even during our higher education in different institutions.
Today I am a founder of a Non-Profit Organization that promotes inclusive education and Asad has been very supportive since its birth.
As a Special Adviser to Governor Yahaya Bello and a patriotic citizen of Nigeria, Asad is ever ready to initiate and support causes that aim at bringing growth and development in the country and the world at large.
We plan on setting standards for others to follow, advocating for inclusive education in all Nigerian schools is part of the mission.
*(Written by Patience Agbamu, Advocate for Quality and Inclusive Education)*