Ekiti State First Lady, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji has commended The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for the equal opportunity given to special students during the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
Speaking during a programme organised by JAMB Equal Opportunity Group, held at the University of Ado Ekiti on Thursday, Dr Oyebanji said the development has promoted diversity, tolerance and acceptability of the physically challenged people in the society.
The Governor’s wife noted that inclusive education was fundamental to human right on education which must be respected by all the stakeholders.
She appealed to all stakeholders in education sector to continue to promote ideas that would allow all students to thrive and reach their potentials irrespective of their class and status.
The Vice chancellor, Ekiti State University, Professor Edward Olanipekun, who was represented at the event by the Vice Chancellor, Academics, Professor James Ayodele also urged stakeholders to ensure that every child has access to education regardless of their physical status.
“There is need for Governments at various levels to increase the establishment of schools for the disabled so as to take care of more special students across Nigeria”, he stressed.
A representative of Joint Admission Matriculation Board JAMB, Professor Rasheed Aderinoye expressed regret that most of the schools for the blind and other disabilities were privately owned, which has made it difficult for general accessibility.
Aderinoye noted that this year’s UTME which has commenced in eleven centres across the country namely Oyo, Lagos, Benin, Abuja among others would accommodate three hundred and thirty six special candidates while only twenty would write their exams in Ekiti State.
The JAMB Representative noted that free accommodations, transportation, feeding and writing materials had been provided for the special students having their exams in Ekiti State University Ado Ekiti, covering the neighbouring states.