The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB wants the federal government to set up a centre for supportive services for persons with disabilities in each geo-political zone of the Federation.
The Registrar of JAMB, Professor Is-haq Oloyede made the call in Abuja at the opening of its first Africa Regional Conference on Equal Opportunity of Access to Higher Education.
Professor Oloyede explained that this measure would help make life easier for persons with disabilities and restate the government’s commitment to inclusive education.
“we call on the National Assembly, nay the Federal Government of Nigeria, to establish and attach to the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, a centre for supportive services for persons with disabilities, which would be well equipped, with at least one branch in each geo-political zone of the Federation. The centre, with the assistance of bodies such as JAMB Equal Opportunity Group, JEOG would be able to attract appropriate technology and policies to make life and study easy for people with special needs” he said
He said Centres, such as the FGN Supportive Services for the Deaf, located at the University of Ilorin and others established by the Federal Ministry of Education should be reactivated and funded to achieve the lofty goals for which they were established.
The Registrar of JAMB also advocated the adoption of Nigerian Sign Language as the second national official language.
Professor Oloyede said it would be a major demonstration of empathy for the large number of fellow compatriots with hearing impairments.
The Conference which had participants from across Africa, has as the theme “Advancing the Potentials of Persons with Disabilities in Educational and Economic Development”.
Radio Nigeria