The Nasarawa State Ministry of Special Education, Science and Technology has said it would conduct census of all the physically challenged in the state in the next two weeks.
Prof. Jonathan Ayuba, the Commissioner for Special Education, Science and Technology, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Wednesday.
According to him, the census will enable government to plan toward addressing the problems facing the physically challenged in the state.
“The census which is also aimed at knowing the number of male and female disabled persons will help the government in its planning,” he said.
He also said the exercise would be conducted using desk officers at the various local government areas in collaboration with traditional rulers.
The commissioner also said government had been paying school fees, providing employment opportunities and training in different skills, among others, to better the living condition of the physically challenged in the state.
“The government, last week, paid over N4million as school fees, JAMB registration and NECO/WASSCE for the disabled indigenes of the state schooling in other states.
“The government has also given employment to 14 people living with disabilities, teaching and non-teaching in Dunama Secondary School, Lafia despite the embargo on employment” he said.
He also said that the work at the Lafia Special School had been concluded while work had reached advance stages in the other two special schools at Akwanga and Keffi Local Government Area.
Ayuba also said that the education for this group of people was free from primary to tertiary institution, adding that after their educational pursuit, after which they were offered employment by the state government.
He further disclosed that the state government had bought all the equipment needed for the establishment of the Institute of Technology in Lafia. (NAN)