A Study of Blind Education In Three States of Nigeria
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About the Book
Despite policies to provide equal education opportunities for African children, the dreams of most disabled students are not realized, especially for blind children. Many blind students do not have an opportunity to continue their education. In this study, The Management of the Education of Blind and Visually Impaired Students in Nigeria’s State Capitals of Kwara, Lagos, and Plateau, author David Oyebamiji Akanji investigates the problems facing the education of the blind in Nigerian public schools.
Researched as part of a doctoral dissertation, this study assessed the:
- Quality and effectiveness of practices governing the management of blind education in self-contained schools
- Quality and effectiveness of policies and practices governing the inclusion of blind and visually impaired students in the regular classrooms of mainstream schools
- Unique nature of the problems hampering the academic performance of blind and visually impaired students in three most populous state capitals in Nigeria
- Obstacles associated with self-concept of blind and visually impaired students
About the Author
David Oyebamiji Akanji, a Nigerian, became blind at a young age. He attended regular primary and post-primary schools with inadequate special education facilities and human resources. Determined to make education less strenuous for the physically challenged, he traveled to the United States where he earned a Ph.D. in special education administration. It is imperative at this juncture to give you a brief introduction of my self. As a matter of fact, I became blind when I was an infant. When I was about eleven years of age, I was taken to Ogbomoso Blind training center. It was there I learnt Braille, and craft for the first time in my life. I was there from 1961 to 1963. During that same year, I was taken to be with my parents at Bode Osi, a village in Iwo Osun state. That was done in order for me to start my primary school education. I was at Bode from 1963 to 1966. I did not stop there, after the completion of my primary school education, I was sent to Osodi vocational training center for the blind in 1967. It was there I learnt advance Braille, and telephone operation. I was at the vocational center for the blind from 1967 to 1968 after the successful completion of my training. In the year 1969, I attended Iwo Catholic secondary modern school where I was trained as a typist. I was there from 1969 to 1970. I did not stop there. In the year 1971, I started my secondary school education at Ibadan Christ Apostolic Grammar school Aperin Oniyere. It was there I successfully completed my school certificate papers in 1975. Realistically, the struggle did not stop there. In 1981, the then Oyo state government gave me scholarship to come to United Stated of America for further studies. I was given an admission by the then Arkansas enterprises for the blind. I was there for two semesters before I proceeded to Philander Smith College where started my first degree in special education which I successfully completed in three years instead of four. It means I was there from 1982 to 1985. I came out in first class. I did not stop there, in January 1986, I was admitted to Howard University through the help of the then academic dean of Philander Smith College who got me a scholarship to attend Howard for my master’s program in education. I completed my master’s program in three semesters instead of two years. I was at Howard from 1986 to 1987. I did not even stop there; in 1998 I started my doctoral program at Gallaudet University in special education administration. By the special grace of God, I have completed my PhD in special education administration. I graduated in May 16th 2008.