Institutionalization, Mainstreaming or Inclusion: Challenges for Special Education in Nigeria.

Abstract

Educating young citizens with disabilities of any nation is a special challenge. So
whatever are the other pressures on the education system and on public expenditure, it
is imperative for every nation to provide appropriate education for her young citizens
with disabilities. It is on this note that the government of Nigeria establishment the first
school for the disabled in the country in the middle of the 50s. Since then the government
has come up with different programmes for children with special needs. In addition,
the government has signed a number of international agreements and treaties for the
provision of services for the disabled. Despite this development, they seem to be no
clear cut marriage between the seemingly government policy for the provision of
educational services to children with special needs and what is on ground. This study
raises pertinent questions about what seems to be government policy and the ground
reality of the situation. It also shows that there is no consistency between perceive
policy and implementation. It highlights these discrepancies and suggests the way
forward.

International Journal of Educational Research Vol. 3 (2) 2007 pp. 267-273