By Ife Osemedua
365Daily – An Abuja based elite private primary and secondary school, Premier International School, has marked its 2021 ‘Jeans for Genes Day’, with a call for more inclusion and acceptance of children with genetic disorder in the society.
According to Mrs Maryam Ovabor, Deputy Director of the school, ‘Jeans for Genes Day’ is a day set aside by the school to create awareness around challenges of genetic disorder and how to support the affected people by showing understanding about their condition and learning more about this special set of people in order to give them a better sense of belonging and in turn, create a better society.
The two day event which was held between Wednesday and Thursday, November 17 and 18 2021, was hosted by the Learning Support Unit of the School.
On the first day, guest speaker, Mr Mohie Francis Oko, Director, Ike Foundation for Autism, addressed the general assembly of the school, comprising the students, staff and management on inclusion and acceptance and the need to support learners with genetic disorders in the school community.
He charged the school community to accept the neuro-a-typical children in their midst the way they are and always empathise with them rather than sympathies. He went further to urge the students on to pledge to always assist special children in their school community whenever the need arises.
The second day was parents’ interactive session with an invited resource person, Dr. Dr. Badewa Williams, Founder, Royal School for Educational Therapy Foundation,
Gwarinpa, Abuja. She was specially invited as a professional in that field who is also a mother of two children living with genetic disorder, to share her “Wealth of experience as a mother/caregiver and professional, to provide answers to many salient questions that bother parents with special needs, as well as words of succor aimed at alleviating their worries.”
Dr. Badewa didn’t only share her unique experiences as a mother of special needs children, she provided answers to several questions raised by parents and reassured them on their fears and concerns. She implored them to always ensure that their special need children get access to different types of therapy that will be of value to their development, such as speech, language, occupational and applied behavioural therapies.
She also gave the parents vital tips on how to cope and raise children with special needs. Huge emphasis was given on the need to accept the condition of the children rather than living in denial.
According to Dr. Badewa, “When you accept your child’s condition,you put on your thinking cap and seek the needed help’ as early intervention will go a long way in helping the child live a more fulfilling life.”
She charged educators to be professional in alerting parents when they suspect “something is off.”
Mr Daniel Ehiobu, Head, Learning Support Unit of the school, thanked the resource persons for their inspirational, educative and informative presentations, which according to him, added colour and value to the event.