The Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC had spread it’s tentacles across all strata, through its synergy with relevant agencies and stakeholders not only to provide Basic Education to pupils, but those with special needs and special learners, so as to ensure the realization of 2020-2030 SDGs goals towards decade of action.
Therefore, consideration must be given not only towards impacting knowledge, but the economic and physical status desired adequate consideration, so as to deliver on the mandate of it’s programs, as anything short of it , will affect the expected and unfettered access to quality Basic Education across the country by learners with special needs.
Under the leadership of Dr Hamid Bobboyi, concerted efforts had been put in place to encourage special Education to people with special needs, through collaboration with adequate support to National Education Research Development Council (NERDC), in it’s strides to not only review, but update the revised nine years Basic Education curriculum for learners with special needs.
This was carried out through awareness, workshop, talkshops, seminars, symposium, so as to provide quality teaching and learning to these categories of special needs and special attention learners, so as galvanize and encourage relevant stakeholders into keying to the new area.
With in-depth analysis, research and collation of relevant data’s , laced with supports from UBEC, the categories of learners that requires most critical skills particularly those with visual impairment to achieve the desired results of teaching and learning.
Since NERDC remained the rallying point of not only curriculum development, amendment and review, but wholistic reforms, the need to critically appraise the review of the 9 years Basic Education especially the specific and thematic areas of the newly revised curriculum, that requires adaptation, implementation and inculcation on the special learners needs.
To give more grease to the revised curriculum, emphasis must be focused on, not only the paper work and outcomes that encompasses as a curriculum, but ability of the learners with special needs to adapt the new template.
Attention will also be required from the stakeholders to dwell extensively on the subjects to be adapted or considered for the specific learners , considering their status as special needs learners, for a seamless interaction and impact of Basic Education in the visually impaired, so as to be relevant to the society.
Having developed a strategic documents of the 9 year Basic Education Curriculum (BEC), to guarantee access to the improved and rich contents of the new curriculum, that will be enabled by UBEC’s collaboration.
To consolidate the process of the review, so as give it a lifeline, Bobboyi’s leadership had encouraged mass participation of relevant stakeholders from the reviewing agency , NERDC, visually impaired from relevant bodies and Colleges of Education COE’s, other contributors supported the program to ensure not only seamless review, but give a more life line to special needs learners to improve learning and teaching in the area.
The domestication efforts by the Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC, was in line with the template of both local and international agencies supports and cooperation.
In it’s efforts as the provider of Basic Education, matching towards decade of action in line with the UN SDGs, without cognisance to special Education will not achieve the desired results.
Yusuf, A Public Affairs Analyst, Writes from Abuja on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.
