Abuja – The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education said it would tap into the new zero budgeting formula to boost education programme for people living with disabilities.
Chairman of the committee, Mr Zakari Mohammed, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
“What we are trying to do now that the budgeting system has changed from envelope system to zero budgeting system is to tap into this opportunity to cater for this set of people,’’ he said.
Mohammed said that the committee would ensure that relevant organs of government channelled funds for the special needs programmes adequately ‘’to enable this set of people get quality education’’.
He said that though various special centres were created for blind students in the past, the centres had been non-functional due to poor funding.
“There are specialised centres for them, but what happened in the past was neglect due to lack of funds.
“The fact that they found themselves in that situation does not mean they should be abandoned.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
“So, definitely, appropriation in terms of money, infrastructure development, hearing aids, audio visuals, brailles and all kinds of reading materials that they need will be provided for them,’’ he said.
On the development of teachers’ capacity, the lawmaker said that teachers should be certified and monitored by a regulatory institution.
He said that existing regulatory bodies like the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) and the National Teachers Institute (NTI) needed to brace up to their jobs.
“Teachers have to be certified to teach just like every other professional; there must be an entry point and that is why the Teachers Registration Council will have to be energised to do its job.
“The National Teachers Institute in Kaduna, too, has to brace up so that at least, every teacher that holds a chalk to teach will be certified.
‘’That is how it is done everywhere in the world; it won’t be an all-comers affair.
‘’Both bodies have to wake up from their slumber; we have these bodies but they have not been up and doing,’’ he said.(NAN)