The Kwara State University (KWASU) Malete said it has slashed its tuition fees by N100,000 for students living with disabilities
It added that it has also approved N50,000 monthly allowance for staff living with disabilities.
The vice chancellor of the university, Prof. Shaykh-Luqman Jimoh, disclosed these at an event marking the 2024 International Day of Persons Living with Disabilities, organised by the institution’s Disability Support Office and the Department of Special Education.
Jimoh explained that the initiatives were designed to support staff and students with disabilities because the institution’s management believes that everyone, regardless of ability, has the right to fully participate in all aspects of life.
“Let us remember that our gathering here is more than a ceremony—it is a reminder of our collective responsibility to advocate for the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities,” he said.
He reaffirmed the university’s dedication to creating an inclusive educational environment where every member of the university community actively participates in all aspects of campus life.
Highlighting several policies implemented by the university, Prof. Jimoh emphasised that KWASU would continue to explore innovative ways to enhance the experiences of staff and students with disabilities by providing accessible facilities across the campus.
Among the initiatives he listed were a school fee waiver of ₦100,000 for all students living with a disability, a ₦50,000 monthly allowance for staff with disabilities, and increased employment opportunities for sign language interpreters.
Other measures, he said, include the representation of students with disabilities in the student union and the establishment of a Disability Support Office, among others.
Earlier, the convener of the event, Prof. Olubukola Dada, who is also the coordinator of the Disability Support Office and deputy vice chancellor (Academics), had stated that the theme of the 2024 IDPD was a call for collaborative action to build an inclusive society.
Dada noted that the theme not only encourages inclusion but also underscores the importance of partnering with persons living with disabilities to develop policies that foster a truly equitable society.
The guest speaker, Prof. Julius Ademokoya, of the University of Ibadan, emphasised the need for the inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in every aspect of the socio-cultural, political, and economic spheres of the country.
Ademokoya said that the United Nations statistics indicate that in developing countries like Nigeria, one in six individuals has significant disabilities.
He stressed the importance of creating avenues for PWDs to contribute to the economy and even called on the government and members of academia to generate innovative ideas to eliminate the socio-cultural barriers that hinder the inclusion of PWDs in Nigeria.
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