‘Parents denying kids with special needs access to education’

The President, National Association for Exceptional Children, Professor Ali Tijjani Abdullahi, has said that many children with special needs are denied access to inclusive education because of their predicament.

He explained that the children were, therefore, relegated to form a significant part of out-of-school children in Nigeria despite being part of their fundamental rights.

Abdullahi stated this in Kano during the opening session of the 33rd annual national conference of exceptional children held at the Bayero University on Thursday.

He said the conference brought together all the relevant stakeholders to deliberate on ways to improve the living standards of children, especially in the area of their access to education.

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“Children born with special needs face challenges in virtually all aspects of their lives, even in the way others relate with them. Some of them even find it difficult to get suitors, talk less of settling down.

The president, however, said there was a significant increase in recent years in the number of children with special needs being enrolled in schools.

Also speaking, the BUK Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sagir Adamu Abbas, said the university had since 2000 established a full pledged Department of Special Education because of the importance attached to the education of children with special needs.