To foster access to quality and inclusive education for visually impaired persons, the Nigeria Association of the Blind and BO Foundation for Inclusive Media have distributed laptops and offered to pay the second-year tuition fees of seven female blind undergraduates.
The scholarship awards covered the 200-level obligatory fees and a brand-new laptop to the beneficiaries, comprising five blind undergraduate students from the University of Lagos, one from the University of Benin and another from the University of Ilorin.
Speaking during the presentation of the laptops, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academics and Research, UNILAG, Professor Bola Oboh, re-affirmed the University management’s commitment to all students irrespective of their physical condition, noting that this was reflected in the admission policy and the inclusive nature of buildings on campus.
She thanked the sponsors for their kind gestures and urged the beneficiaries to make the best use of the scholarships and see the gesture as a challenge to improve their studies.
Speaking at the distribution of the laptops, a doctorate researcher at the University of Sussex, United Kingdom and a member of NAB Lagos State Chapter, Michael Fadeyi, stated that assistive devices were essential tools that enabled visually impaired persons to access quality and inclusive education.
Fadeyi, who facilitated the project with support from a couple in the Thames Valley Church of Christ in the United Kingdom, Marlon and Anna Oliver, noted that his access to a laptop made it possible for him to pursue his doctorate.
He urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the laptops with screen readers, stressing that “society will always ask more of us than the non-disabled even when it has not enabled us to thrive. “In essence, we are seen as the problem rather than the society. This is even more compelling for you as a woman. In a society where women are believed to be inferior to men, women with disabilities are relegated to the runt of the litter. It is my hope that you will use your educational pursuit to change the narration for yourselves and those coming behind.”
Fadeyi called for the setting up of a standard policy on diversity and inclusion within the university, stating that such a policy “will do everyone a lot of good.”
Also speaking at the presentation, the Chairman of NAB Lagos, Lukman Bolarinwa, demanded a disability-inclusive department in UNILAG where challenges faced by Persons With Disabilities can be addressed.
The Executive Director of BOFIM, Blessing Oladunjoye, congratulated the beneficiaries, stating the gesture was meant to address the gaps that Blind students experienced without assistive devices for their school work.
She advised the students to make the best use of the device, remain committed to their studies and be an example to other blind students.
Oladunjoye noted that the tuition fee will be paid directly to the school and urged the management of UNILAG to institutionalise the gesture to allow other organisations to provide similar support for other visually impaired students.
Source: Punch News
