NGO marks 5 years of supporting the special needs
The Marked segment in the image above is our story: The Engraced ones
Generous packages for Engraced parent by Dr. Doris Izuwah
My spiritual Father Bishop David Oyedepo said ‘if you are not grateful, you will become a great fool’. Hmmm when people begin to remember you and send in goodwill, it’s something worth celebrating. Thanks to Dr. Mrs. Doris Izuwah who sent in generous packages for our Engraced parents…I am overwhelmed by your love and kindness.
OPEN LETTER TO THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION
Dear Sir,
THE NEED FOR THE INCLUSION OF SPECIAL NEEDS CLASSES IN THE NATION’S HOMESCHOOLING OPTION DURING THE PERIOD OF COVID19 LOCKDOWN.
We are members of a Support Group for Special Needs Children called ‘The Engraced Ones Prayer Support and Advocacy Initiative’. In other words, we are parents, caregivers, and lovers of children living with Special Needs.
Secondly, we wish to commiserate with your excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and indeed every Nigerian and the world at large on this horrible pandemic ravaging the Earth. Our prayers are for the rapid restoration of normalcy on our streets and all systems of existence.
This letter was necessitated by the realities posed by the above-named challenge. By this we mean, the impact of lockdown situation on the quality of life of our children. Special needs imply that our children and wards require a little more love, care, and support. Prior to the pandemic, the challenges of Special Needs or Inclusive Education had been enormous!
Families had over the years, grappled with the challenges of access, quality, and relevance of the existing curriculum of mainstream schools to their children. In addition to these worries, at the moment, we are concerned about the effects of the closure of schools that may have on our children because they thrive on daily specialized educational support strategies that parents can hardly offer as substitute home tutors. Our children are mainly visual and tactile learners who require assistive aids to enhance learning.
You may wish to recall that at the moment your excellency, that Special Needs Education is majorly private sector driven with very poor supervision as regards the manner of operations, cost, and several other issues. You may also wish to recall that the National Policy on Special Needs Education is very far from being implemented, and the same goes for the mandatory inclusion programs in Nigerian Schools which is a conversation for another day.
While appreciating the Ministry of Education for the laudable introduction of the FG free e-learning portals for primary and secondary schools, we therefore have and raise the following concerns;
i. That our children may regress in their academics and other forms of therapy during this period of lockdown.
ii. That most Special Needs parents may not be able to afford the fees charged by Private Special Needs Educators who are the ones offering homeschooling options for Special Needs purposes at the moment.
iii. That the present reality of the lockdown situation has brought to the fore that parents need to be trained and equipped to meet the educational needs of their Special Needs children while at home such as we have now.
iv. That even where these skills are available, payment for the data required to download standard materials, the fuel, or generator required to sustain online learning remains a concern! Even the Computers and Educational Tabs and many other crucial sensory materials especially required to make this possible remain a fantasy.
v. That provision of the much needed assistive aids that are so vital for the success of Special Education Needs Programming is now very cogent and requires the concentrated attention of the Federal Government.
We are worried!
However, beyond these worries, we do have a few recommendations. Please permit us to outline them as follows:
- The considerate inclusion of ‘Special Classes’ tailored to meet the needs of this class of pupils and students in the Federal Government e-learning portals.
- That the Government-Sponsored Training Programs to be organized for parents and caregivers immediately normalcy and freedom of movement are restored to equip parents with the right skills to cater to the educational needs of their children. This is to forestall a situation where exceptionally gifted children are left out in the future.
- That the Federal Government consider more robust and all-inclusive palliative plans and measures for parents, caregivers, and institutions in the Special Need category of education and living.
Thank you very much, your excellency, for your time sir. We eagerly look forward to receiving positive feedback from you. Hereafter, we also seek a more engaging discussion with the Honorable Minister as we wish you well in your tenure and service of our dear fatherland!
Please accept the assurances of our highest regard!
Signed: Concerned Group of Special Need Parents in Nigeria
Cc: Honorable Minister of Health
Cc: Honorable Minister of Women Affairs
NGO expresses concern over children with special needs amidst COVID-19
A non-governmental organization, NGO, The Engraced One’s Prayer Support and Advocacy Initiative, EOPSAI, has expressed concern over the plight of children living with special needs in the midst of raging coronavirus, COVID-19, as it continues to ravage countries of the world, which Nigeria is also having its fair share.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Founder, EOPSAI, Bibora Yinkere, while highlighting effort made in carrying out a 21-day sensitization of communities and families about Down syndrome, which the United Nations, UN, marked World Down Syndrome Day on March 21st, 2020 with the theme, ‘We Decide’, and Autism Awareness Day on 2nd April 2020 with the theme, ‘Transition to Adulthood’. She said: “As the coronavirus continues to spread its tentacles across the globe, what does the future hold for persons living with disability and children living with special needs in particular?
“Families, educators, and society at large have the responsibility to educate these precious persons on the need and techniques to protect themselves against the pandemic. “How best can this be achieved when accessibility to water, wash hand basins among is still a mirage to the average Nigerian? “For a child living with DS who has the tendency to hug his or her loved ones, how do you get them to understand that it was suddenly not healthy to hug or even shake hands? “In the case of autism, how do you get a child who may be hyperactive and unable to express or communicate his or her feelings to report COVID-19 symptoms or even stay indoors?
On the 21 Day sensitization on Down Syndrome she said, “In the last few weeks, the UN marked World Down syndrome Day on March, 2020 themed ‘We Decide’ and Autism Awareness Day on April 2, with the theme, ‘Transition to Adulthood’. “While Down syndrome is a genetic disorder arising from a chromosomal defect which results in intellectual impairment and physical abnormalities, Autism is a complex neuro behavioral condition that affects social interaction with marked inappropriate behaviour. “The Engraced Ones Prayer Support and Advocacy Initiative marked the WDS by embarking on a 21 Day Sensitization by sharing basic facts about Down syndrome on all its social media platforms”, she said
My Story By Abigail Motunrayo. (True life)
My name is Abigail the other native name is Motunrayo, Oreoluwa, Ashakade, Mama, Aunty Abigail. I have a dream that my star has already risen. I am a Teenager and my mentor Bishop Abioye said ” I am an award-winning child” I am serving God in a service unit appear on different Television stations and at Radio shows at the engraced ones invited my school for a children’s Day program the prophecies of his servant have come to pass in my life and my spiritual fathers and mothers have been a living proof in answering the prayer. The Prayer of my households and my parents are breaking limits and pastor David oyedepo junior said in youth camp that everyone is emerging as a world changer and remembrance of what my mind said ” I am from Nigeria.
CITN Magazine Launch
Alleluyah! I was at the Magazine launch of CITN on 21st March 2020 to represent the Engraced Ones. I was given the opportunity to speak to the audience and also supported the magazine launch on behalf of the Engraced Ones.
We were presented with 5 copies of the CITN Magazine which has an article from the Engraced Ones.
The writer of the magazine is Deaconess Gbemisola Alade an Engraced Parent.