Governments at all levels have been implored to provide the necessary institutional support and funding to ensure that children with disabilities learn within the same environment as others with no disabilities.
An educationist, Olabimpe Abayomi-Ige, made the appeal during a webinar by Learning Helpers for journalists on special education, noting that no matter how rich a parent is, seeing a child with disabilities through school will drain them financially.
She advocated child fine for any parent or caregiver who hide children with disabilities at home during school hours with a view to serving as deterrent to others.
Abayomi-Ige, a specialist in children with special needs, urged Federal and Lagos governments continue to train and empower professionals and caregivers for them to take good care of children with special needs in the society.
She encouraged journalists to further create awareness on why the leaders, governments as well as parents should commit to ensure that pupils and students with disabilities go through school but also learning with their peers within the same class, as inclusive education is critical to checking discrimination.
Abayomi-Ige added that inclusivity would enable special needs students to be accepted in the society.
She expressed enthusiasm to voluntarily train and educate organisations and parents of children with intellectual disabilities in Lagos and Nigeria, if given the opportunity.
