Restoring Minna School for the Handicapped
For the Attention of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State:
The students of the Minna-based school for the handicapped took to the streets, and headed to the State Secretariat, and State House of Assembly, amongst others, to protest poor conditions of their school, they were holding up placards that spelt out their grievances.
We do not exactly know the education policy already in place to rehabilitate public schools in Niger State, but the outrage of students with speaking and hearing impairments – who are derogatorily referred to as ” the deaf and dumb” – smudges the popularity of the government, because it symbolises an obvious neglect.
Demonstration by students with special needs is one event that shouldn’t have taken place in the first place, no matter the scarcity of resources earmarked for such purposes or funds allocated to the education sector.
We hope this gets to the Governor at once, and that immediate efforts would be made to intervene and help in having these special needs citizens confined to their classrooms instead of being frustrated out again by their uninspiring learning environment.
Mrs Halima A. Imam
Niger State Coordinator
Change Organisation Nigeria