Centre urges inclusive education, assistive tech for blind students

The Executive Director of the Resource Centre for the Blind, Temitayo Ayinla.

The Executive Director of the Resource Centre for the Blind, Temitayo Ayinla, has called on federal and state governments to invest more in inclusive education, assistive technology and specialised teacher training to expand opportunities for visually impaired students in Nigeria.

In a statement released and signed by the Executive Director of the Resource Centre for the Blind, Temitope Ajayi, Ayinla highlighted the challenges confronting visually impaired students at an event marking World Sight Day and International White Cane Day at Methodist Girls’ High School, Yaba, Lagos.

Speaking on the Theme: “Beyond Screening: Early Detection, Intervention & Inclusion,” Ayinla identified the shortage of teachers trained in special education and the lack of accessible learning materials as major barriers limiting the academic and career opportunities available to blind students.

According to her, these challenges often discourage visually impaired students from pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“Many visually impaired students gravitate toward the arts, journalism, media, and law because they are systematically told they cannot become doctors, mathematicians, or scientists,” she said.

Ayinla added, “There should be no limitations. Visual impairment should not restrict career aspirations, but we must provide the structural pathways to make these ambitions achievable.”

She urged governments, educational institutions and private organisations to move beyond policy statements and invest in practical measures that would improve access to education for people with visual impairments.

She listed specialised teacher training, accessible learning materials, assistive technologies and employment opportunities among the areas requiring sustained investment.

The RCB director said the centre had taken steps to address the challenges through initiatives such as a train-the-trainers workshop designed to equip educators with the skills needed to teach mathematics to visually impaired students.

She said appropriate training, learning resources and support could make subjects often considered difficult for blind students more accessible.

Related News

• Health firm offers free screenings at Lagos fitness event
• Why women should prioritise health, well-being – Physicians
• Court admits offer letter in N152m Oak Homes trial

However, Ayinla stressed the need for technical and financial partnerships to sustain the centre’s programmes, maintain specialised equipment and increase the production of Braille textbooks and other accessible learning materials.

On employment, she acknowledged progress by some corporate organisations and banks in creating opportunities for persons with disabilities but urged more employers to adopt inclusive recruitment practices.

She also called for accessible urban infrastructure, including pedestrian crossings fitted with audible signals, while urging motorists to exercise greater caution around blind pedestrians.

Ayinla further appealed for public awareness campaigns to address misconceptions about blindness and discrimination against visually impaired people.

The event, organised in partnership with medical experts, featured free eye screenings, clinical assessments and demonstrations on the use of white canes for mobility.

In her opening remarks, the Principal of Methodist Girls’ High School, Sabo, Yaba, Mrs Oluyemisi Padonu, commended the initiative for promoting empathy and inclusion among students.

Padonu said people with visual impairments possessed unique abilities that deserved recognition and support.

“Vision extends far beyond physical sight. Every individual possesses unique gifts, and individuals without sight frequently demonstrate extraordinary abilities that surpass those of sighted peers,” she said.

She added that the programme served as a reminder of the need to appreciate, respect and support people with visual impairments.