The Centre for Infrastructural and Technological Advancement for the Blind (CITAB) has hailed the Kwara State Government for approving the immediate admission of visually impaired girls into Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, Ilorin, with the added provision of free education, feeding, and accommodation.
The commendation was made in Lagos through a press statement issued by CITAB’s Executive Chairman, Mr. Jolomi George Fenemigho. He described the decision as a historic development that finally addresses a decade-long denial of equal access to education for visually impaired girls in the state.
According to him, this outcome is the direct result of consistent advocacy, investigative journalism, and the persistence of families who refused to be silenced. “The joy expressed by Agnes Daniel, Bushra Abas, Muibat Babanloma, and Jariat Mohamonu is a vivid reminder that government action, when driven by justice, can restore dignity and transform lives,” Fenemigho remarked.
While praising the government’s step, Fenemigho cautioned that the gesture should not be viewed as an end in itself but rather a foundation for genuine and lasting inclusion. He emphasized that Queen Elizabeth Secondary School must be properly equipped with assistive learning technologies such as screen readers, braille embossers, talking calculators, and other vital tools. He also underscored the necessity of recruiting trained and certified special educators to ensure blind students receive quality teaching.
“True inclusion means more than physical admission; it demands resources, professional expertise, and an environment where students with disabilities can compete on equal terms with their peers,” he stressed.
Fenemigho further urged Governor AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq to establish a monitoring committee dedicated to assessing the welfare and academic progress of the visually impaired students. Such a body, he said, would guarantee transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
CITAB concluded by calling on education authorities across Nigeria to learn from Kwara’s errors and replicate its recent progress. “The People with Disabilities Bill is clear: equality must not be an exception but the norm. By turning legislative commitments into real action, we can finally create schools where no child, regardless of disability or gender, is left behind,” Fenemigho affirmed.
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