As simple as the business of printing educational materials could be, no single print shop exists around the Special Education Department of Bayero University, Kano (BUK).
This usually subjects the students with disabilities to long-distance treks to access the print shops at Coke Village, a business center in the institution.
Beyond the stress, Ibrahim Yusuf Umar - a visually impaired student – narrated how the print shop owners charge him double because of his condition.
“The distance is something else, and for us the visually impaired, we have to cram the road, but sometimes the noise makes you confused about where to follow. Another thing is how they double-charged us, it’s really painful”, he said.
Apart from the cost, some of the students with a hearing impairment find it difficult to communicate with the print shop owners who do not understand sign language, the process which could have been seamless among their colleagues.
Jafar Sadiq Adamu is one of the students with a hearing impairment. He speaks to Nigeria Info through his colleague, Taiwo Muzib.
“They do not understand the sign language, I ended up spending hours trying to explain what I really want from there. It can be so exhausting, but this can be convenient if we have an interpreter there”.
But responding, one of the business owners at Coke Village, Muhammad Rabi’u “denied that students with special needs are double charged, saying business owners sometimes reduce their charges as against their claims”.
FG Enacts Education Nationwide Minimum Standard Establishment of Institutions
In 2004, the Federal Government enacted the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act to ensure all educational institutions meet minimum standards and provide inclusive education for students with disabilities.
Unfortunately, these students are still learning the hard way, a situation which poses a threat to achieving Goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which ensures inclusive and equitable quality education and promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030.
SPESAN/BUK Efforts To Address The Challenges
But to address this gap, the Special Education Students Association of Nigeria (SPESAN), BUK Chapter is planning to open a print shop within the faculty.
SPESAN revealed that “the print shop business would be utilized to cater for the needs of at least 20 students among them per semester”.
SPESAN President in BUK, Oyeniyi Kudus Olanrewaju revealed that the selected students will work every week, pending their time of lectures.
Kudus however called on philanthropists for financial assistance to set up the business to ease the students’ stress.
But before the business starts, the Senator, representing Students with disability SUG Level in BUK, Comrade Musa Bashir Abdulsalam has provided mobility canes as well as learning materials for disabled students to further address their plight.
“We bought mobility canes for 23 visually impaired students, we also bought written materials worth N200,000 for the hearing impaired student”.
Comrade Bashir further said, “crushes sticks were distributed to the physically challenged students that could not walk well”.
Inadequate Sign Language Interpreters In the Department of Special Education
During my visit to the Faculty of Education in the institution, I noticed that the Department of Special Education has only one interpreter covering levels 1 – 4 and post-graduate classes, hence complicating lectures for hearing-impaired students.
Abubakar Anas - a hearing-impaired student's dream is to becoming a lecturer after graduation, unfortunately, his dream may not come true as he is finding it difficult to comprehend lessons and lectures without an interpreter.
Anas who does not understand verbal speech speaks through an interpreter, Auwal Yusuf.
“Whenever the interpreter is busy in other lecture halls, I become dumb because won’t understand what the lecturer is saying as we don’t understand the verbal speech.
So we could not cope like the other students who could hear properly. So please the department needs to employ more sign language interpreters”, he pleaded.
Responding to the inadequate interpreters, the Head of the Department, Prof. Kauyta Ibrahim says the institution has taken necessary steps toward converting some of their staff to interpreters.
“The University has purchased two embosser machines to print materials for the students. We also bought televisions for the visually impaired students to assist them during lectures”.
BUK Engages Sign Language Professionals
On his part, the Dean of Student Affairs at BUK, Prof. Shamsudeen Umar says the institution through its “on-campus job” has engaged some of the students as interpreters to bridge the gap.
“Through our on-campus job Initiated by the institution, we have employed some students who are good in sign language to assist the students. Very soon we will engage more because these students are our priority”, he said.
However, while these measures are being put in place, the stakeholders are urging the school authorities to prioritize inclusive education by ensuring total compliance with the 2004 Education Act to make life more conducive for students with disability at the university.
