As part of efforts to promote inclusive education in the country, the founder, Ability Life Initiative, Barrister Prada Uzodimma, has called on the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), to produce innovative learning tools for persons with disabilities (PWD)
Uzodimma made the call when she paid a courtesy visit on the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Halilu, at the agency’s Headquarters in Abuja.
According to her, the visit was to familiarize with operations of NASENI and seek areas of possible collaborations between the agency and the Foundation, which is geared towards bridging the gap for persons living with disabilities.
Uzodimma, who commended the giant innovative strides of NASENI in recent times, especially under its current management, added that she was willing to partner the agency for innovative intervention for educational materials for PWD.
“As an advocate of education and inclusivity, I strongly support the production of inclusive learning materials in schools, and a collaboration with NASENI can empower individuals with disabilities with technological learning tools and attract investors to support locally manufactured accessible devices.
“I am excited to embark on this promising partnership with NASENI”, she said.
She however lamented that a lot of students with disabilities, especially in public schools were not being carried along because of little or no learning aides for them, stressing that her foundation was set to provide intervention measures within its capacity.
“Every child has a right to inclusive education, including children with disabilities. No one should be excluded. That is what I stand for and I will fuse that in my projects for this year.
“We are going to schools and I also want to encourage public schools at all levels to take in people that have disabilities but most times, lack of assistive technological learning devices for them to effectively learn has been a major factor.
In his remarks, Halilu commended Uzodimma for her passion and interest towards ensuring that the less-privileged, especially the PWD have access to education and fulfill their dreams.
He therefore pledged his readiness to work with her. He also assured of the agency’s readiness to introduce innovations that will promote inclusive education.
Uzodimma has been passionate in her zeal for inclusive education. In 2021, she launched the Prada Uzodimma Law School Scholarship Grant in partnership with Principle Legal Consult to ease the difficulties encountered by indigent but aspiring young lawyers across the country by paying their Nigerian Law School tuition fees. She has since then, sponsored 30 law students.
