Nasarawa to engage physically-challenged persons as teachers

The Nasarawa State Government says it has concluded arrangements to engage qualified physically-challenged people as teachers in the state’s comprehensive special schools.
Prof. Jonathan Ayuba, the state Commissioner for Special Education, Science and Technology, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Lafia.
Ayuba said the physically-challenged people would constitute 20 per cent of the teaching staff in the state.
NAN reports that the Comprehensive Special School, Lafia, is one of the state projects billed to be inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari before the end of January.
According to him, primary and secondary schools are currently admitting physically-challenged pupils across the country and they will commence academic activities before the end of the month.
The commissioner said that screening of the teachers’ applications would begin on January 15 in line with the challenges of the pupils/students.
Ayuba said that the special school was the first of its kind in the country and unique to the state.
He said: “We have to customise the facilities in the schools to take care of persons with disabilities according to their gender, age grade, among others.
“For instance, the classes and hostels will be modeled to cater for the blind, deaf, crippled and autism, among others.”
He said that most of the facilities were imported and were already being installed in the schools.
Ayuba added: “There is also a clinic with a standby doctor and supporting staff to cater for health needs of the pupil/students.”