Persons Living with Intellectual Disability in Nigeria and Inclusive Education

One of the challenges facing persons living with disability in Nigeria is access to qualitative education.

Unfortunately, in most of the states in Nigeria, there are no formal structures to address the educational needs of disabled children especially those living with intellectual disability.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has clearly outlined the duties and responsibilities of states. Under Article 24(1) of the convention, states are enjoined to:

“….recognize the right of persons with disabilities to education. With a view to realizing this right without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunity, State parties shall ensure an inclusive education system at all levels and lifelong learning directed to:

• The full development of human potential and sense of dignity and self-worth, and the strengthening of respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and human diversity;
• The development by persons with disabilities of their personality, talents and creativity, as well as their mental and physical abilities, to their fullest potential;
• Enabling persons with disabilities to participate effectively in a free society”

Nigeria signed this Convention on May 30, 2007 and ratified it on 24th of September 24, 2010. Thus, it is the responsibility of the Nigerian state to provide inclusive education for its citizens living with intellectual disability in order to guarantee their fullest development and effective participation in the society.

Article 24(2) further enjoined States parties to ensure that: “

• Persons with disabilities are not excluded from the general education system on the basis of disability, and that children with disabilities are not excluded from free and compulsory primary education or from secondary education, on the basis of disability;
• Persons with disabilities can access an inclusive, quality and free primary education and secondary education on an equal basis with others in the communities in which they live;
• Reasonable accommodation of the individual’s requirements is provided;
• Persons with disabilities receive the support required, within the general education system, to facilitate their effective education;
• Effective individualized support measures are provided in environments that maximize academic and social development, consistent with the goal of full inclusion.

Inclusive education stands for education that includes everyone, both persons without disability and differently abled people. It is a model of education that embraces those with special educational needs, getting them to learn together in mainstream schools or other places of learning.

The key factor here is togetherness. Thus, inclusive education contemplates a class equipped to teach both the child with special or additional needs and the regular child within the same classroom.

It is commendable that Lagos State is making efforts to ensure inclusive education for its residents living with various disabilities especially those with intellectual disability. However, an examination of the situation shows that there is still a lot to be done. The inclusive education model still falls short of the expected United Nations and international standard.

The Lagos State model only allows the students with intellectual disability attend different school but within the same premises with the regular learners. There is no adequate provision of the necessary special learning tools directly benefiting persons living with intellectual disability to ensure and encourage effective learning for them.

This is far from the contemplation and the spirit of the United Nation Convention On disabilities and the protocols. A lot of work still needs to be done to make the educational system really inclusive and ensure that children with intellectual disability can access full and quality education on an equal basis with others in their communities.

Ijeoma Fynecontry is the legal resource person with the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria.