KNSG pledges inclusive education, as AGILE empowers 100 special needs students with assistive learning devices
Kano State government on Friday gave out special learning and teaching materials to 100 learners with cognitive and developmental disabilities, saying it aims to enhance inclusivity in educating students with special needs.
While handing over these materials, which include assistive devices to learners from various schools across the state, during a symbolic presentation at Mambayya House, the state commissioner for women affairs, children and disabled, Hajiya Abudullahi Amina Sani, urged all concerned citizens to make Kano a place for everyone to ‘learn and shine’ irrespective of the gender or physical challenge a student may be facing. Commissioner, who was represented by the permanent secretary in her ministry, Alhaji Muhammad Sambo, said a new department has been created in the ministry to cater exclusively for the physically challenged.
She acknowledged the role by the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) in making the new department active and impactful.
The State Commissioner od Education, Gwani Ali Haruna Makoda, who was represented at the presentation by the acting Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Bashir Muhammad Baffa, said the project, which is in tandem with the state governor’s aspiration of ‘education for all’, is just starting. He warned against diversion of the materials and urged propre utulisation.
The state AGILE coordinator, Aminu Mustapha, said the World Bank-assisted project in Nigeria, which is being implemented by the ministry of education, is aimed at improving secondary education opportunities for adolescent girls.
He added that the project focuses on increasing school access and retention through building and renovating schools, providing educational materials, offering digital literacy training, and addressing social barriers to education, such as harmful cultural practices and the effects of insecurity.
He said AGILE also provides second-chance education for out-of-school girls, including those who are married, have disabilities, or have dropped out, aiming to empower them for better social and economic outcomes.
AGILE consultant, Dr Samira Aliyu, explained that the project is supporting a shift from exclusivity in the education of ‘special females’ to what she called ‘inclusive education’ which encourages same learning environment for normal and special need students to enhance social interaction. She said ‘assistive devices’ like the ones distributed are needed for those with ‘cognitive disability’, urging parents and educators to ensure that the devices are well utilized.
The Director-General, Social Protection, an aide to the Governor of Kano State, Hajiya Fatima Amne, emphasized the importance of educating ‘special females, hailing AGILE for its intervention. she assured that the state government intends to expand the distribution to cover the whole state, urging all stakeholders to ensure proper utilization and render helping hands.
AGILE’s state Grievance Redress Mechanism and Social Safeguard director, Bashir Kabir Rabiu, told Nigerian Sketch that every learning material bag given to the students included school uniforms, lunch box, reading and writing materials, individual education plans and a baseball cap.
Hajiya Hauwa Abdullahi, a principal at Government Secondary School Guzai, who said some of the students that benefitted for the project are from her school, narrated the transformation that a particular female student had undergone, expressing joy over the transformation the student, who has cognitive and developmental disabilities, has undergone over time. She thanked Kano State government and appreciated the roles of AGILE.
Mallam Muhammad Sani spoke for parents of the students and urged other members of the society to assist the government in actualizing the aim of education for all. He acknowledged the efforts of AGILE and expreesd appreciation to the state government.
