Niger State government has announced N1 billion as an endowment fund for the construction of facilities for pupils with special needs across the 25 local government areas of the state.
The governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, made the announcement in Minna during the flag-off of the RISE project for four pilot schools in collaboration with the state government and other donor partners.
He observed that educating children with special needs is expensive; hence, it needs a huge amount to run it, adding that Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB) will ensure the project is executed soonest.
Bago also donated N50 million to the Farid Foundation and N25 million to each of the four pilot schools selected for the RISE project.
He further gave approval for the formation of a Board under the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education for immediate takeoff to cater to children with special needs and also the commencement of scholarship and mentorship in Special Education at Abdulkadir Kure University Minna.
The CEO and co-founder of Farid Centre, Hajiya Aminat Jummai Gimba, said the RISE project is a bold and transformative initiative aimed at integrating children with special needs into an inclusive learning environment in Bosso and Chanchaga local government areas as a pilot scheme.
The Commissioner for Basic Education, Dr. Hadiza Asabe Mohammed in her remarks, emphasized the importance of integrating children with special needs into inclusive learning environment along their peer groups, saying it will promote social skills, empathy and break down barriers and misconception about people with disabilities among others.
