NTI laments dearth of special education teachers in Nigeria

KADUNA -  The National Teachers Institute, NTI, Kaduna has decried the inadequate number of teachers in  Special Education Needs and Disabilities, SENDs, that would impact knowledge in pupils with different forms of disabilities in the nation’s Primary and Secondary schools.

To fill the vacuum, it disclosed that it had trained over 7000 teachers selected from the six geo-political zones in the last one decade.

Speaking at the year 2021 Training of Teachers Nationwide in Special Education Needs and Disabilities, SENDs, in Abuja, the co-founder and Advisory board member of Axiom Learning  Solutions, Mr Anil Bassey, explained that the training became imperative due to the dearth of teachers to cover all classrooms in Nigeria.

He informed that the training was simultaneously held in six centres across the country which included  Abeokuta, Ogun State, Bauchi,  Cross River   Enugu, Sokoto states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Though the two-day training had 148 teachers as participants, a figure that was a far cry from the number trained annually in the past.

He, however, noted that it showed a commitment by the Federal Government to continue to train and retrain teachers even in these present difficult times.

Bassey explained that “In this training edition, we have brought in a whole module to focus on remote learning for our learners with disabilities during the period of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As teachers, we must empower our communities and ensure schools are safe for all learners while building resilience in schools.

“Teachers must be cognizant of the framework of the Safe Schools Declaration and the new laws on Disability in order that they become better custodians of rights for our learners with disabilities.

“I wish to appeal to our teachers here present and far that the light has shone on your profession, the onus is now on you individually and collectively seek all knowledge through this training, other continuous professional development and in particular self-directed learning.

“Each and every one of you must be seen as citizens of the global knowledge economy”.