Here in this post, we are going to outline and discuss the role of special education in Nigeria. We hope you find this post helpful.

In 2015, the federal ministry of education in Nigeria initiated the National Policy on special needs education in Nigeria. This policy holistically addresses all that pertains to special education in Nigeria.

However, before we delve further into the topic of the role of special education in Nigeria, it is imperative that we shed some light on what special education entails.

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“Special education is the transference of knowledge to students putting into consideration their diverse peculiarities and needs.

To this end, methods of teaching, as well as tools, are adopted in order to properly communicate, meet the needs of students while also preparing them to be effective and self-sufficient.”

Special education does not delay in ensuring to build a mindset in students’ that liberates them from the dependency mindset and helps them rather to begin to explore the many possibilities that positions them to provide solutions to their society.

It also helps to deal decisively with the mindset that they are disadvantaged because they are physically or emotionally challenged in anyway.

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Special education makes provision for students with special needs in several arears, some of which includes: communication disorder, physical disabilities, and developmental disabilities (such as autism).

These students are given special attention, with sometimes special and specific teaching methods adopted to help them learn and be ready to equally take on the challenges that life poses.

Nigeria as a nation has seen several people with special needs who displayed exceptional qualities in several fields such as sports, education, technology, music etc. thanks to special education, and these ones are able to quickly discover their areas of strength and with the help and encouragement from teachers, have been able to pursue a career in such areas. The result of which, is the emergence of geniuses in various areas.

Some identifiable roles of special education in Nigeria include:

1. Develop the child into a sound, effective and productive citizen.
2. Equal access to education as well as other services and opportunities in the country.
3. Full inclusion of individuals with special needs to discover the dignity and worth of being human while also helping them to identify their strengths and overcome weaknesses.
4. Full inclusion of individuals with special needs into the community.
5. Provide an enabling environment to acquire relevant skills that positions them to be able to compete globally.

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Develop The Child Into A Sound, Effective And Productive Citizen:

Many times than not, the birth of a child when it turns out to be a child with special needs results into extreme care on the side of the parent. Parents’ are likely to become overly protective of such child.

A result of which is increasing the chances of such a child being largely dependent and feeling disadvantaged. This has a negative effect on the psychic of the child.

However, with the introduction of special education, comes a unique approach to the same child. Considering the level of advanced training teachers are given in this filed, they are able to develop the child into a sound, effective and productive citizen by adopting unique methods of teaching, training and preparation of the child.

Equal Access to Education as Well As Other Services and Opportunities In The Country:

Special education in Nigeria has gone a long way in emphasizing the fact that there is a level of equality between children with special needs and children without special needs.

The psychological effect of the mere thought of feeling different or perhaps abnormal alone is more than enough to deal with.

With the introduction of education for those with special needs, comes the increased emphasis on the fact that every citizen is equal and has equal access to whatever opportunities the country offers irrespective of what physical, emotional or mental challenge they are encountering.

Full Inclusion Of Individuals With Special Needs To Discover The Dignity And Worth Of Being Human While Also Helping Them To Identify Their Strengths And Overcome Weaknesses:

Nothing is perhaps more mentally disturbing than a feeling of thinking less of oneself. People with special needs with the way they are often times treated, over time might tend to think they are lesser than those who appear perfect.

Special education however has helped play a crucial role in helping to build a mindset that liberates people with special needs from such thoughts.

Helping them to consider themselves nothing less than an actual human being who deserves to be respected, honored just like every other person.

Special education also helps them to identify what their strengths are and to make the best of such strengths. Emphasis is placed on the fact that every human has a weakness and they must be understood and worked on, to still make the very best of their life regardless.

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Full Inclusion of Individuals with Special Needs into the Community:

Special education helps people with special needs to know that they are not any less human because of whatever challenge they have.

They are helped to understand, that they are not to be treated as a plague but as a part of the society as a whole. Special education helps them to appreciate and accept the fact that they are part of the society and all that happens within the society.

A result of which is their active participation is all that is happening within the society. This helps their minds in more ways than can be captured in words.

Provide An Enabling Environment To Acquire Relevant Skills That Positons Them To Be Able To Compete Globally:

Special education is not limited to only formal education. Identifying and developing skills in these students with special needs, is also a major priority.

These skills helps position these people with special needs to be able to compete on a global scale. Over the years we have seen people with special needs who are skilled professionals in the most unimaginable fields.

For instance Nigeria has countless of persons with special needs that are so skilled in their fields that people without special needs in the same field, respect them, and consider them as authorities.

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Finally, the role of special education is Nigeria, particularly because we are intentional about it, has helped in many ways to give hope to countless people, helped for a greater dimension of self-discovery while also helped in positioning these people with Special needs to have equal opportunity to succeed like every other person considered normal.