Human Development Initiative (HDI) in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria and Persons with Disability (PWDs) on Wednesday staged a peaceful walk to the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The walk was to demand a review of the policy on inclusive education, among other issues.
The sensitisation walk began from Allen Avenue Junction, Ikeja and terminated at the Assembly complex to present a list of demands to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa.
Mrs Olufunso Owasanoye, HDI Executive Director, noted at the Assembly complex that no child of school age should be left behind.
Owasanoye demanded that government’s policy documents on inclusive education should be reviewed and activated by the Ministry of Education.
She appealed to the Assembly to increase the share of budgetary allocation to education in the on-going deliberations on the 2022 budget to support gender responsive and inclusive education.
“Government should amend existing schools structures to meet inclusive education standard and also to break down all known barriers in the way of persons with disabilities.
“There should be provision of ramps, electronic interactive materials, braille materials for the visually-impaired and special teachers administering teaching in an all-inclusive environment.
“All tertiary institutions owned by the Lagos State government should have a Department of Inclusive Education.
“Many children with disabilities cannot go to school because of lack of knowledge of the location of inclusive facilities,’’ Owasanoye said
She also enjoined the government to provide school facilities that are friendly to the marginalised and to children with disabilities and provide them with special transportation system.
Responding, Victor Akande, Chairman, House Committee on Human Rights, Judiciary and Public Petitions, who represented Obasa, empathised with parents of and children with disabilities.
He promised that the House would look into laws affecting people with disabilities critically with a view to amending such to suit the purpose of the protest.
Akande assured that Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu would also take a close look at the laws since he has listening hears, loves children and has the passion to advance education in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PWDs in their numbers defied their challenges to take part in the walk. (NAN)