SOCIAL PROTECTION: ZAMFARA COLLEGE OFFERS FREE EDUCATION TO PWDs
The Zamfara College of Art and Sciences (ZACAS) has declared free tuition and accommodation for People With Disabilities (PWDs) in the state.
Dr Sanusi Yakubu, provost of the college, disclosed this on Friday in Kaduna at the dissemination meeting on social inclusion assessment report in Zamfara state.
The report was fascilitated by the Expanding Social Protection for Inclusive Development (ESPID), a UKaid funded programme, with CSOs and other key stakeholders from the state.
The three-day meeting was organised by Save the Children International (SCI) an NGO supported by UKaid.
Yakubu said the college was giving free admission, registration and accommodation to disabled persons in order to support them and ensure their inclusiveness in education opportunities.
Read Also: Kerosene, cooking gas prices increase in August – NBS
“The issue of PWDs is one of the major components of social protection.
“The issue of social protection require commitments from various stakeholders.
“We consider giving free education to PWDs considering their conditions, to contribute our quota as one of the major stakeholders in social protection,” he said.
Similarly, Council member, representing North West Geo-Political Zone in the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Hajiya Amina Audu, urged government to enact People With Disabilities (PWDs) Discrimination act.
Audu noted that the Act, if enacted and well implemented, will help in protection of the rights of PWDs especially as it will ensure inclusiveness of PWDs in various educational opportunities.
“If we can have the Act, it will help us to achieve the provision of well designed grievances redress mechanisms for PWDs.
“Appropriate sensitisation for PWDs in all social protection in the state both in design and implementation.
“Capacity building for disabled persons organisations,” she said.
According to her, there is also need for data of PWDs by government at all levels and the data should be updated constantly.
“Private organisations should be encouraged to support SPP especially as it affects PWDs, while the MDAs should be trained on disability rights,” she explained.
Also, the gender and social inclusion specialist of the ESPID programme, Mariam El-Yakub, said the meeting was to strategically develop pathways of integrating and using findings of the report for improved social protection sector service delivery.
He added that the programme was also to build an action plan and next step following the recommendations contained in the report.
“On behalf of the SCI, I appreciate all stakeholders in the state for their contributions towards achieving effective social protection programme in the state” she said.
El-Yakub called for proper coordination from SP implementation MDAs in order to ensure effective inclusion of all marginalised vulnerable groups in the state in the social protection activities and programmes.
About 30 perticipants drawned from MDAs, Civil Society Organizations and Media attending the meeting currently taking place in Barfa Hotel in Kaduna.
