The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is set to host its inaugural JAMB Equal Opportunity Group African conference to improve access to higher education for Persons with Disabilities (PWD).
The conference, themed โAdvancing the Potentials of Persons with Disabilities (PWD) in Educational and Economic Developmentโ, will take place on 17-18 Sept. 2024 at the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Briefing journalists at a World Press conference on Monday, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, stated that the conference aimed to enhance the learning environment for PWDs in tertiary institutions and would attract participants from Ethiopia, Malawi, Egypt, and other African countries.
โToday, as we prepare for this vital conference, we reaffirm our commitment to advancing equal opportunity access to higher education for all, with particular emphasis on Persons with Disabilities (PWD).
โJAMB, through JEOG, has been at the forefront of ensuring that persons with disabilities are provided with a level playing field in accessing higher education.
โIt is not enough to simply open doors of opportunity; we must ensure that these doors are accessible to everyone, regardless of their physical, sensory, or cognitive abilities,โ he said.
He reiterated JAMBโs commitment to advancing equal opportunity access to higher education, ensuring a level playing field for PWDs, and providing assistive technology to facilitate learning and testing.
โWe acknowledge that education is a fundamental human right, and therefore, we are committed to making higher education more inclusive and accessible across Africa,โ he added.
He noted that JAMB had introduced initiatives to promote inclusivity, including specialised testing centres and assistive tools, and urged stakeholders to provide facilities for PWDs in tertiary institutions.
While speaking on the various initiatives introduced by JAMB, Oloyede said, โAt JAMB, we have introduced several strategic initiatives aimed at promoting inclusivity within the education sector. These initiatives include:
โSpecialised Testing Centres: Dedicated centres are provided for PWDs who cannot sit the UTME in the normal CBT centres to ensure they are not disadvantaged during examinations. The Board has reduced the registration fee for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination from N5,000 to N3,500 to ensure equitable access to tertiary education. To support candidates with disabilities with 5 Oโ level credits in Senior Secondary Certificate, application documents are provided free of charge in addition to other fees (such as CBT centre fee).
โFurthermore, for visually impaired and other candidates with disabilities who require special examination settings, transport supplementation, free accommodation, and transit are provided during the examination process.โ
He appreciated the efforts of the Federal Government in introducing the student loan and also including PWDs in the scheme, adding that the policy would go a long way in assisting the candidates with disabilities to pursue their education.
โWe equally commend the National Assembly for device legislations particularly for the passage into law the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition ) Act. The Ministry of Education is commended for endorsing the policy on โStrategic Roadmap for Inclusive Access to Quality Higher Education in Nigeriaโ by the National Council on Education. The policy incorporates certain waivers and incentives for candidates with disabilities,โ he added.
The conference aims to address critical challenges and explore innovative solutions to bridge the gap in educational access for PWDs, making higher education more inclusive and accessible across Africa.