JIBRIL AMINU’S EQUALITY PRINCIPLES AND THE REALITIES OF PROMOTING EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY IN AN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper is an examination of Jibril Aminu’s equality principles and the realities of promoting equal educational opportunities in an inclusive education system in Nigeria. Under the inclusive education model, students with special needs are meant to spend most of their times with non-disabled students and share in the same curriculum and learning conditions regardless of their differences, strengths and weaknesses in any area. It seeks to maximize the potentials of persons that are excluded from certain meaningful activities, especially persons living with disabilities in the societies. As equal educational opportunity for all citizens is pronounced in the Nigerian National Policy on Education, scholars and stakeholders have questioned the extent to which persons with disability is being integrated in the course of providing equal educational opportunity for all. This paper therefore examined the realities and concluded that, though inclusive education is realizable, it would be practically difficult to achieve in the present day Nigeria as the nation is still struggling to put her education system on a better footing. Based on this opinion, the writers posited that equal educational opportunity could be provided for the children with special needs but in a separated and censured environment where they shall be given maximum attention; but suggested among other things that, for inclusive education to be adopted, All staff of Nigerian schools should be given additional training to enable them adapt to demands of and approaches to an inclusive education system.