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

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 recognized as a key driver of change and growth. Recognizing this, the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Education Policy correctly identified education as the most effective tool for achieving national development. Education is a fundamental human right and a critical component in reducing poverty and child labor, as well as promoting long-term development, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization Fund (UNESCO, 1994). As a result, Nigeria and Ghana have well-documented policies on the education of children with special needs. Despite these rules, prejudice against children with special needs persists in many countries. Females, on average, have a more difficult time getting an education than boys. Traditional values heavily influence girls’ access to education in these countries. considerations and various forms of societal attitude, which allows girls to be the first to be pulled out of school when a family’s finances are in jeopardy. When the girl becomes blind, the picture becomes much darker. Despite the statements agreed upon and endorsed by the international community at the Beijing Conference in 1998, blind girls face a higher rate of prejudice. Males are more likely than females to have more and better educational opportunities for blind children (Bob, 2002) He goes on to say that even at the postsecondary level, only about 16% of females with the same impairment are likely to graduate, compared to 28% of boys with the same condition. There is a problem in Nigeria. Blind education has a long history. Nigeria Blind children did not begin to benefit from formal schooling until the early 1950s. In 1953, the Sudan United Mission established Nigeria’s first blind school in Gender, Plateau State (SUM). The Church of Christ in Nigeria now runs the school (COCIN). Following this, in 1962, the Catholic Church and the Federal Government joined forces to establish the Pacelli School for the Blind in Lagos. The Oji River Rehabilitation Centre in Enugu State was the next stop (now Oji River Special Education Centre). There are now a number of blind schools spread across the country. Some of the schools that have been established over time are as follows: St. Joseph School for the Blind in Obudu, Cross River State, which was established in 1972. (b) Ondo State Blind School in Owo and Sokoto School for the Handicapped (blind unit). (c) Blind schools, for example, in Umuahia, Abia State, and Zuba, Abuja. (Freeberg, 2002) Surprisingly, the missionaries continue to own the blind schools. The desire to provide educational opportunities for blind children while also allowing them to integrate into their societies drove the establishment of blind schools in Nigeria and Ghana. This noble endeavor aimed to prepare them to be useful citizens who can contribute to the development of their countries and families while also assisting them in living as normally as possible. These objectives are consistent with the The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 1959 Charter of the United Nations General Assembly, and the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child all recognized education as a human rights issue. Based on these rights and conventions, all children, including those who are blind, will have access to education by 2015. UNESCO (1994) established 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 the most vulnerable.”

vulnerable and disadvantaged children; promote gender equality in education by 2015; promote gender equality in education by 2015; promote gender equality in education by 2015; promote gender equality in education

1.2 Problem description

It is important to note that when the Millennium Development Goals were developed, the fact that all children (blind and sighted) were born free and had equal access to equality, dignity, and freedom rights was taken into account. In essence, no child was to face any form of discrimination (Doran,2012). Visually impaired children born blind may have limited concept development due to their lack of vision. This is because vision is an important component of environmental input. The brains of children assimilate and integrate what they see. Another way that visual impairments slow things down Making it more difficult for children to learn from experience without their parents or teachers doing anything unusual to teach them is an example of development. This is known as “accidental learning.” Aside from early identification, another barrier to effective inclusion is a lack of well-trained teachers. Teachers must understand how to screen, identify, and manage blind or low vision children. The aforementioned challenges will not be addressed if insufficient resources are allocated to inclusion. The government has purchased a bus and a Braille printing press for children who are blind or have low vision. The establishment of a blind school will create job opportunities for the visually impaired, as they will contribute their fair share to the economy.

They will be able to advocate for themselves and their families, among other things, as the state develops. However, there are some challenges. In this context, the establishment of a school for the blind and its impact on the development of Imo state will be investigated.

1.3 The study’s purpose

The study’s primary goal is as follows:

1. Determine whether Imo state has a school for the visually impaired.

2. To investigate whether the government funds a school for visually impaired people in Imo state.

3. To assess the contributions of the visually impaired to the development of Imo state.

4. To learn how to improve the school for the visually impaired in other countries.

Imo state’s development.

1.4 Research Issues

The following study questions have been prepared:

1. Does Imo state have a school for the visually impaired?

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

3. What contributions have the visually impaired made to the development of Imo state?

4. What improvements do schools for the visually impaired require in order for Imo state to develop?

1.5 Importance of the research

The study will look into the establishment of a school for the blind and its impact on the state’s development.

The study will be significant to the Imo state government because it will highlight the importance of investing in the state.

The development of the visually impaired educationally so that they can contribute to the development of Imo state.

The study will benefit the academic community because it will add to the existing literature.

1.6 The scope of the research

The study focuses on the establishment of a school for the blind and its impact on the state’s development. The study will also look into whether Imo state has a school for the visually impaired. The study will also look into whether the government funds a school for visually impaired people in Imo state. Furthermore, the study will assess the contributions of the visually impaired to the development of Imo state. Finally, the research will determine how to improve the school for the visually impaired.

Imo state’s development will be hampered as a result. As a result, the study will be limited to Imo state.

1.7 Restrictions of the study

A number of factors hampered this study, which are as follows:

As with any other research, there are challenges, ranging from a lack of needed accurate materials on the topic under study to an inability to obtain data.

The researcher faced financial constraints in obtaining relevant materials as well as printing and collating questionnaires.

Time constraint: Another constraint is time, which makes it difficult for the researcher to shuttle between writing the research and engaging in other academic work.

1.8 Definitions of terms

Development: the process of developing or being developed.