Ekiti State Government has charged Principals, Head Teachers and classroom Teachers in the State to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment where every child can reach his or her full potential irrespective of the challenges they may be facing.
Speaking while declaring open a three-Day Capacity Training for Principals and Head Teachers in the State with the theme “Inclusive Education as a transformational tools for students’ success”, in Ado- Ekiti, on Monday, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Habibat Adubiaro, urged the participants to implement innovative approaches that will promote fairness, create safe learning spaces and ensure that no child is left behind regardless of ability or background.
No fewer than 1,200 school principals, heads teachers, education secretaries and school management committee members were in attendance at the training programme.
Prof Adubiaro said the Governor Biodun Oyebanji led-administration understands that the measure of progress is not how well the privileged are catered for, but how effective government uplift the vulnerable, disadvantaged, or marginalized, adding that Government would continue to prioritized policies and initiatives that strengthen access, quality and inclusivity at all levels of education.
Speaking further, the SSG said policies alone cannot transform education to the desired height, adding that principals and head teachers are the real change agent who are at the frontline of ensuring that inclusive practices are not just lofty ideals but daily realities in the schools. She added that the training was designed to equip them with skills, knowledge, and perspectives needed to create learning space where every child can thrive
Assuring that the state government would sustain capacity-building programs and provide necessary support to teachers and school leaders, Prof Adubiaro said inclusive education is not merely integrating students with special needs into mainstream classroom but about reimagining teaching, leadership, and school culture in ways that celebrate diversity, nurture empathy and foster success for all learners.
Earlier in her Opening remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Education and Social Inclusion, Princess Adetoun Agboola, commended Governor Oyebanji for giving voice to the voiceless and hope to the hopeless, particularly children with disabilities. She noted that the Governor’s commitment to inclusive education has restored confidence in many families and created opportunities for children who were previously marginalized to realize their potentials.
Agboola described the Governor as a true advocate of Persons with Disabilities, a feat which, according to her, earned the Governor the prestigious recognition as the Champion of Disabilities in Nigeria, adding that the recognition reflects the administration’s resolve to break barriers and ensure that education becomes a right enjoyed by all children, regardless of their physical or mental challenges.
While asserting that Ekiti State has taken a proactive approach to inclusive education, setting standard for other states in the country, Princess Agboola stated that through deliberate policies, teacher training and infrastructure adjustment, the state is ensuring that children with disabilities are not left behind in the pursuit of academic excellence.
In their separate goodwill messages, the Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Folakemi Olomojobi, Chairman, Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Olaniran Olatona, and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Micheal Omolayo, expressed delight at the initiative, describing it as a bold step towards strengthening the state’s education sector and promoting inclusive learning for all children.