AKCILS Ag. Provost Calls for Inclusive Education, Support for People with Special Needs

The Ag. Provost of Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies (AKCILS), Dr. Ali Tamasi Mu'az, has called for greater support and inclusive educational opportunities for persons with special needs.

Dr. Tamasi made the call when he received a joint delegation from the Disability Project Initiative (DPI), led by its Executive Director, Comrade Abubakar Nura Yusuf, and the Dabo Social Inclusion Initiative, led by its Executive Director, Comrade Usman Yusuf, during a visit to the College.

The Ag. Provost expressed appreciation for the visit and commended the organisations for their efforts towards improving the lives of persons with special needs through education, awareness, skills development and empowerment programmes.

He stressed the importance of providing sign-language interpreters and other necessary support services to enable students with hearing impairment to participate fully in lectures and other academic activities.

Dr. Tamasi also highlighted the importance the College attaches to persons with special needs, and invited the organisations to hold their annual programme for persons with disabilities, scheduled for December 5, at AKCILS.

He assured the delegation of the College Management's readiness to support persons with special needs, including the provision of unlimited admission forms and other necessary assistance to qualified applicants seeking admission into the College.

According to him, the initiative is in line with the commitment of the Kano State Government under the leadership of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to support persons with special needs and promote access to quality education across tertiary institutions in the state.

The Ag. Provost further welcomed collaboration between AKCILS and disability-focused organisations, noting that such partnerships would help remove barriers to education and create better opportunities for students with special needs.

In their separate remarks, the Executive Director of Dabo Social Inclusion Initiative, Comrade Usman Yusuf, and the Executive Director of Disability Project Initiative, Comrade Abubakar Nura Yusuf, said their organisations were implementing programmes focused on disability inclusion, climate-change awareness, skills development and employment opportunities for young people with disabilities.

They explained that some of their members had successfully completed various programmes with support from donations and resources provided by their respective organisations.

The representatives appealed to the College Management and other stakeholders to support initiatives aimed at removing barriers faced by persons with special needs. They specifically called for the provision of vehicles at the College gate to facilitate easy mobility within the College and improve access to education and other opportunities.

They also appealed to the Management to provide sign-language interpreters for students with hearing impairment to enable them to participate effectively in lectures and have a smooth acquisition of knowledge and academic experience at the College.