ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND ITS IMPACT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATE (CASE STUDY OF IMO STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

Education is widely acknowledged as a fundamental driver of change and growth. Recognizing this, the Federal Republic of Nigeria's Education Policy properly chose education as the best tool for achieving national development. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization Fund (UNESCO,1994), education is a fundamental human right and a critical component in reducing poverty and child labor, as well as promoting long-term development. Nigeria and Ghana have well-documented policies on the education of children with special needs as a result of this. Despite these rules, prejudice against children with special needs continues to exist in various nations. In general, females have a more difficult time getting an education than boys. Girls' access to education in these countries is largely influenced by traditional considerations and various forms of societal attitude, which allows girls to be the first to be pulled out of school when the family faces financial difficulties. When the girl is blind, the picture becomes much more bleak. Despite the statements agreed and endorsed by the world community at the Beijing Conference in 1998, girls who are blind face a higher rate of prejudice. When it comes to blind children's education, males are more likely than girls to have more and better possibilities (Bob, 2002) He goes on to say that even at the post-secondary level, only around 16% of females with the same impairment are likely to get a college degree, compared to 28% of boys with the same condition. In Nigeria, there is a long tradition of blind education. Nigeria It wasn't until the early 1950s that blind children began to benefit from formal schooling. The Sudan United Mission opened the first blind school in Nigeria in 1953 in Gender in Plateau State (SUM). The school is now run by the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN). Following this, the Catholic Church and the Federal Government collaborated to create the Pacelli School for the Blind in Lagos in 1962. The next stop was Enugu State's Oji River Rehabilitation Centre (now Oji River Special Education Centre). There are now a number of blind schools scattered around the nation. The following are some of the schools that have been established over time: (a) St Joseph School for the Blind in Obudu, Cross River State, which was founded in 1972. (b) Ondo State School for the Blind in Owo, and Sokoto School for the Handicapped (blind unit). (c) Schools for the blind in Umuahia, Abia State, and Zuba, Abuja, to name a few. (2002, Freeberg) Surprisingly, the missionaries are still the owners of the blind schools. The establishment of blind schools in Nigeria and Ghana was motivated by the desire to provide educational opportunities for blind children while also allowing them to integrate into their societies. This noble effort aimed to prepare them to be useful citizens who can contribute to the development of their countries and families, as well as to assist them in living as normally as possible. These goals are consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations General Assembly Charter of 1959, and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989, all of which recognized education as a human rights issue. By the year 2015, all children, including those who are blind, will have access to education based on these rights and conventions. To make this a reality, UNESCO (1994) set the Millennium Development Goals to: "Eliminate gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieve gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls' full and equal access to and achievement in basic education of good quality; expand and improve comprehensive early childhood care and education for girls and boys, particularly for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children; promote gender equality in education by 2015; promote gender equality in education by 2015; promote gender equality in education

1.2 Statement of the problem

It is important to note that when the Millennium Development Goals were created, consideration was given to the fact that all children (blind and sighted) were born free and had equal access to equality, dignity, and freedom rights. In essence, no child was supposed to be discriminated against in any way (Doran,2012). Because of their lack of vision, visually handicapped children born blind may have limited concept development. This is due to the fact that vision is an important component of environmental input. Children's brains assimilate and integrate what they see. Another way that visual impairments slow development is by making it more difficult for children to learn from experience without their parents or teachers doing anything unusual to teach them. This is referred to as "accidental learning." Aside from early identification, a lack of well-trained teachers is another barrier to effective inclusion. Teachers must have knowledge of how to screen, identify, and manage children who are blind or have low vision. If the resources allocated to inclusion are insufficient, the above challenges will not be addressed. For children who are blind or have low vision, the government has purchased a bus and a Braille printing press. The establishment of a school for the blind will provide employment opportunities for the visually impaired, as they will contribute their fair share to the state's development, and they will be able to stand up for themselves and their families, among other things. However, there are some difficulties. It is against this background that establishment of school for the blind and its impact on the development of the Imo state will be looked into.

1.3 Objective of the study

The primary objective of the study is as follows

1.        To examine if there is a school for the visually impaired in Imo state..

2.        To examine if government fund the school for the visually impaired persons in Imo state.

3.        To evaluate the contributions made by the visually impaired on the development of Imo state.

4.        To find out how to improve the school for the visually impaired in other for the development of Imo state.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study

1.        Is  there a school for the visually impaired in Imo state?

2.        Does  government fund the school for the visually impaired persons in Imo state?

3.        What are the contributions made by the visually impaired on the development of Imo state?

4.        What are the  improve the school for the visually impaired need in other for the development of Imo state?

1.5 Significance of the study

The study will examine establishment of school for the blind and its impact on the development of the state.

The study will be significant to the government of Imo state as they will see the importance of investing in the educational development of the visually impaired so they can contribute to the development of Imo state.

The study will be of benefit to the academic community as it will contribute to the existing literature.

1.6       Scope of the study

The study focuses on Establishment of school for the blind and its impact on the development of the state. The study will also,examine if there is a school for the visually impaired in Imo state. The study will further, examine if government fund the school for the visually impaired persons in Imo state. More so the study will evaluate the contributions made by the visually impaired on the development of Imo state. Lastly, the study will find out how to improve the school for the visually impaired in other for the development of Imo state. Hence the study will be delimited to  Imo state.

1.7       Limitation of the study

This study was constrained by a number of factors which are as follows:

Just like any other research, ranging from unavailability of needed accurate materials on the topic under study, inability to get data

Financial constraint , was faced by  the researcher ,in getting relevant materials  and  in printing and collation of questionnaires

Time factor: time factor pose another constraint since having to shuttle between writing of the research and also engaging in other academic work making it uneasy for the researcher

1.8       Definition of terms

Development: the process of developing or being developed.

REFERENCES

Bob, G. (2002). Learning Disabilities (4th edition). London: Oxford University Press.

Doran, P. (2012). The right help at the right timein the right place: Strategic review of learning provision for children and young people with complex additional support needs.Retrieved fromhttp://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0040/00408307.pdf

Freeberg, E. (2002). The meaning of blindness in nineteenth-century America. Retrieved from www.american antiquarian.org/proceedings/44539507.pdf

UNESCO (1994). The Salamanca Statement and framework for action on Special Needs Education adopted by the World.

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