BY OLUFISOYE ADENITAN
In ondo State, Education for persons with disabilities is free at the elementary stage while one of the State’s universities accepts fifty percent Tuition from this set of people.
For them to have access to education at all levels, the Association of persons with disabilities is hereby soliciting government assistance to in ensuring that education becones free in all tertiary institutions in the state.
Chairman of the Association, Comrade Ajayi Emmanuel spoke with Positive Fm in Akure
For many years ,Adekunle Ajasin university ,Akungba Akoko, Ondo State has been offering 50 percent of Tuition to persons with disabilities as well as allocate hostel to them at considerable rates.
The institution also had considerable number of this category of Nigerians offering various courses while many have graduated with degrees, even up to masters level.
This feat is now acting as a driving force for the association of persons with disabilities in Ondo state who noted that even though they were physically challenged, their dreams were not, hence the need for government’s support as demanded by the association’s joint National chairman Comrade Ajayi Emmanuel.
Comrade Emmanuel called on Parents with special children not to keep them at home but enrol them in primary and secondary schools dedicated to them which were situated in Akure ,oke Igbo, owo ,and Akoko areas of Ondo state at no cost so as to help such children attain their goals in life.
Speaking on government’s efforts at easing the plight of the physically challenged in Ondo State, The first female board chairman, Agency for the welfare of persons with disabilities, Ondo state,Mrs Folasade Arise maintained that their welfare was a top priority considering the various programs and activities initiated for them.
Mrs Arise said that plans were underway to amend their gazette to provide for more welfare packages for them and also protect their rights as they were still being abused especially women and children .
She expressed the agency’s readiness to encourage local goverment councils to incorporate persons with disabilities into their programmes and activities.