PROBLEMS OF EDUCATING THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED CHILDREN IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

There have been several criticisms about Nigerian education, among which, according to Mba (2005), is its failure to take account of individual differences among learners into consideration. The need to consider individual differences is not unconnected with the fact that children do not develop the same way. For instance, while some may be tall and thin, others may be short and fat. These and many others are just examples of differences in children’s physical development. There are also some differences in intelligence, emotional, maturity and social development among children. Thus, we have the hearing impaired children, the learning disabled, the gifted, the talented, the mentally retarded and host of others. These children and youths with variations in their total development are those for with special education is meant to take care of.

According to Osakwe (2010), the school systems now face increasing pressure to raise standards, develop social and personal skills, broaden curricula, pay greater attention to equal educational opportunities and prepare young people for rapidly changing world. Invariably, the modern trend all over the world is shifting towards addressing the educational plights of students with one form of disabilities or the other so as to better their life. The rationale behind this is contingent upon the fact that people with disabilities too have invaluable roles to play in national development, and to be able to do this effectively and meaningfully, their education needs to be given proper attention.

This paper therefore sets out to explore some of the challenges facing the education of students with disabilities as well as the policy implications these challenges have towards improving the lives of students with disabilities. The handicapped children are gifted children who have ability to be educated irrespective of their disabilities, like the deaf, the blind, the dumb, lame etc. therefore, the handicapped children in Nigeria posses the talents and all the aggregate of learning just like their counter parts at school. Education which is a life provided for every individual, the physically handicapped inclusive. The team can be viewed in many ways mainly psychological and maladjustment.

An handicapped child is a child that lacks something that made him/her incapable of living like other children, it could be the hands, legs, eyes, ear etc in everyday life, the term handicap is oen used to signify a physical defect, limb, paralysis, partial or total blindness etc. all these features renders the child incapable of living in quite same ways as the normally endowed. The term handicapped, when used in a wider sense, include intellectual disabilities and disadvantages which are cause learning hardship. In the light of the above discussion, the study will look into the various learning hardship likely to be faced by the handicapped child in school. Previous researchers have revealed that behaviours are judged in terms of the society existing standards, therefore the ability of the handicapped can be under estimated by their teacher because already they are termed that they cannot perform as well as the naturally endowed pupils/students. This study will examine the various problems facing the education of the handicaps ones. Previous researches have revealed that behaviour are judged in terms of the society, existing standard, therefore, the ability of the handicapped can be under estimated by their teacher because already they are termed or called “special children” many assumed that they cannot perform as well as the naturally endowed pupils/students. Some children are physically handicapped from birth, other develop infirmities after accidents there are other children, who may not have any physical abnormalities, but they might be abnormally short, fat with jutting teeth, small and sunken eyes and several such features.

According to Kirt (1976) physical handicapped child have problem of coordination, perception and cognition (as well as mobility resulting from lack of proper development of, or injury to the central nervous system. A lot of children that exhibit one or a combination of these impairment go through the regular school programmes undetected and unassisted, as such they fail to receive special educational attention.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS

This study is to assess the problem of the handicapped children and pupils in school in Benin City.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

To identify the handicapped condition that is suitable for learning. To consider the effects of the physically handicapped on the career of the physically handicapped students. To correct the general belief of people that handicapped students cannot contribute significantly to the society. To assess the problems of the handicapped students in school in Benin City and Edo State in general.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Does being handicapped affect students performance in learning? 2. Are the special problems that prevent the handicapped students from performing effectively in learning? 3. Is it possible for handicaps to take part in learning activities like other normal students?