Kogi SUBEB Donates Wheelchairs, Assistive Devices to Special Needs School; Principal Seeks More Teachers, Infrastructure

By Anne Olurinde

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 enhance the welfare, mobility and learning experience of pupils with disabilities.

The intervention underscores the commitment of the Kogi State Government and SUBEB to improving access to education and providing essential support for children with special needs.

Speaking during the presentation, the SUBEB Chairman, Mallam Abdulrazak Muhammad Yusuf, represented by the Director of Special Programmes, Isah Nuhu Ameadaji, reiterated the commitment of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s administration to the development of education, particularly at the basic education level.

He noted that education remained a major priority of the present administration, adding that the SUBEB Chairman was equally committed to ensuring the delivery of quality education and adequate support across public schools in the state.

He assured that the Board would continue to support initiatives aimed at improving teaching and learning conditions, particularly for pupils requiring special educational attention.

The Principal of the school, Mrs Anifowose Ayodele Oluwaseun, who is also deaf, expressed appreciation to the Kogi State Government and SUBEB for the gesture, describing it as a welcome intervention that would positively impact the lives of the pupils.

She, however, appealed for increased government attention to the institution, identifying inadequate infrastructure, shortage of teaching personnel and insufficient instructional materials as major challenges affecting effective teaching and learning.

Mrs Anifowose particularly called for the recruitment of additional teachers to cater for the growing population of pupils with special needs, noting that adequate manpower was critical to the effective management of the school and delivery of quality education.

She urged the state government not to neglect persons with disabilities but to sustain and strengthen its support for their educational and developmental needs.

The principal stressed that the increasing enrolment of pupils had made urgent government intervention necessary, particularly in addressing the school’s infrastructural deficiencies and staffing gaps.

She also called for sustained collaboration between the government and relevant education agencies to provide an inclusive and conducive learning environment where children with special needs could access quality education and realise their full potential.

Anne Olurinde
Director, Corporate Communication
Kogi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB)