The commissioner for Social Justice and re-integration, Dr. Mrs Filister Irarimam Musa has solicited the assistance of the management of Taraba State University to give utmost priority to the education of persons with disabilities, especially those seeking to be admitted to the institution to further their studies.
The commissioner made the request on Tuesday when she paid a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor of the university Professor Sunday Bako and other top management staff of the instruction.
The commissioner told the Vice-chancellor that the university would be critical to her ministry’s success in getting support for the people with physical disabilities and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), where she sought a department to be created in the university to cater for their educational needs. She thanked the university management for the support accorded them thus far.
Dr. Filister identified that a special education department should be created in the university for persons with special needs to create a sense of belonging to them.
Continuing, the commissioner said: ” I am sure you are quite aware that we have a good number of persons with disabilities and who are yet to be enrolled into the tertiary institutions and properly placed in their field of studies. This is the reason why I am soliciting the cooperation of the management of the university to create a department and courses of study for the persons with disabilities amongst us.
She further said, “We are counting on your support in terms of training and support for persons with disabilities. The ministry is also counting on the support from within your mandate to achieve this feat.”
The commissioner pleaded with the university to always consider persons with disabilities in their list of admissions.
The commissioner also stressed that the governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas is committed to the education of persons with disabilities as part of his agenda for human resources and capacity building.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sunday Bako sued for cooperation and partnership between the ministry and the university to bridge the educational gap.
He said “Your presence here underscores our shared commitment to the wellbeing and educational needs of the persons with disabilities and the physically challenged and as a university, we shall do all within our means to make learning accessible and enviable.
The vice chancellor further said, “Responding to these demands will require a coordinated and unified approach by pooling resources and expertise of various departments, and we will give you all the needed support.”