The Federal Government has ordered tertiary institutions in Nigeria to admit candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum required scores in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) into their chosen programs, waiving the usual Post-UTME requirement......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
The Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu made this declaration at the First Africa Regional Conference on Equal Opportunity of Access to Higher Education (ARCEAHED) organised by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board(JAMB) on Tuesday in Abuja.
He noted that the initiative, together with the ambitious target to enroll 825,000 students with disabilities cumulatively over the next five years, demonstrated the Federal government’s unwavering commitment to realizing equal access to education.
While assuring of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to continue promote inclusivity in the education sector, Sununu added that another key reform that is already yielding positive results is the waiver of application fees for the UTME for PWDs during the registration process, as outlined in the Nigerian Education Sector Roadmap launched in 2023.
“I am aware that this policy has significantly increased the number of PWDs who participated in the 2024 UTME,” he said.
The government also urged all tertiary institutions not only to admit the students with disabilities but also take absolute care to ensure their easy accessibility in their campuses through the addition of necessary ramps, elevators, assistive technologies, and other accommodations that would make learning possible and comfortable for all.
The minister stated that the theme of this conference “Advancing the Potentials of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in Educational and Economic Development” is quite appropriate, as it speaks directly to the heart of the federal government’s shared mission which was ensuring that every individual, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities, is given the opportunity to thrive, contribute, and lead in their communities and beyond.
“ It is necessary that I once again commend the leadership of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board under Prof. Is-haq Oloyede for projecting the true colours of the present administration with emphasis on pro- activeness, transparency, accountability and unalloyed commitment to the advancement of this country through the instrumentality of education. I also register my appreciation to the entire management and staff of the Board for dedicated and passionate service to the nation,” he said.