The Kogi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has donated wheelchairs and other assistive devices to the Lokoja School for the Deaf and Special Needs to improve the mobility, welfare and learning conditions of pupils living with disabilities.
The intervention is part of efforts by the Kogi State Government and SUBEB to promote inclusive education and ensure that children with special needs have access to essential educational support.
Speaking during the presentation, SUBEB Chairman, Mallam Abdulrazak Muhammad Yusuf, represented by the Director of Special Programmes, Isah Nuhu Ameadaji, reaffirmed the commitment of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s administration to advancing education, particularly at the basic education level.
He described education as a major priority of the present administration, noting that the Board remained committed to providing quality education and adequate support across public schools in the state.
He further assured that SUBEB would sustain its interventions to improve teaching and learning conditions, especially for pupils requiring specialised educational attention.
In her remarks, the school’s Principal, Mrs Anifowose Ayodele Oluwaseun, who is also deaf, commended the state government and SUBEB for the donation, describing it as a timely intervention that would improve the lives of the pupils.
However, she appealed for increased government support, citing inadequate infrastructure, shortage of teachers and insufficient instructional materials as major challenges confronting the institution.
Mrs Anifowose specifically called for the recruitment of additional teachers to address the growing number of pupils with special needs, stressing that adequate personnel were essential for effective teaching and school administration.
She urged the state government to sustain its commitment to persons with disabilities and ensure that their educational and developmental needs receive adequate attention.
The principal also emphasised the need for urgent intervention to address the school’s infrastructural and staffing challenges, noting that rising enrolment had increased the demand for essential facilities and personnel.
She called for sustained collaboration between the government and relevant education agencies to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment where children with special needs can access quality education and achieve their full potential.
