VIDEO: Lafiagi School for Deaf Seeks Emir’s Support for Permanent Learning Centre

VIDEO: Lafiagi School for Deaf Seeks Emir’s Support for Permanent Learning Centre

The proprietor of Fatima School for the Deaf, Lafiagi, has appealed to the Emir of Lafiagi, the Edu Local Government Chairman and the Kwara State Government to facilitate access to an abandoned veterinary facility along Ibrahim Taiwo Road for use as a permanent learning centre for deaf children and others with special needs.

The appeal was made during a visit by the school’s pupils, teachers and administrators to the palace of the Emir of Lafiagi, where they presented their concerns over inadequate learning space and the need for a more conducive environment for the children.

The Emir warmly received the delegation and listened to their request. The pupils also presented a short song in appreciation of the audience granted them.

Speaking to NupekoTV via chat, the school proprietor expressed concern that the limited space at the current facility had prevented the school from admitting some children who needed its services.

“Even though our hope is dropping, we still hope that the Lafiagi community, the Emir and the government will consider these children,” the proprietor said.

The school administrator, Rev. Fr. Oyeyi Ola-Maria Emilius, explained that the responsibility for caring for and educating the deaf children rested on him, while appealing to the Emir to help secure a permanent facility.

He said that if the abandoned veterinary building were made available, the school could renovate it and make it suitable for learning within three to four months.

According to the administrator, the school also provides uniforms, books and other learning materials free of charge to its first 40 pupils, as part of efforts to make education accessible to children with special needs.

He disclosed that the school’s long-term vision includes creating opportunities for deaf children to learn alongside hearing children. He said such an inclusive approach would help the pupils develop friendships, improve communication and feel accepted within society, particularly given the shortage of sign-language interpreters.

To illustrate the importance of an appropriate learning environment, he cited the case of Adam, a secondary school graduate from a government school in Lafiagi who, according to him, had struggled with basic reading and sentence formation before showing significant improvement after receiving support in a more suitable learning environment.

Rev. Fr. Emilius appealed to the Emir to do everything possible to help the school secure a permanent location, warning that the current limited space could affect the comfort of existing pupils and prevent other children from accessing education.

The Emir, according to the school delegation, promised to work on the request.

The school is seeking access to the abandoned veterinary facility or another suitable building that can be renovated and equipped to provide a more spacious and supportive learning environment.

The appeal highlights the challenges facing access to inclusive education in Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area, and surrounding communities in Kwara North, while drawing attention to the need for community and government support for children with hearing impairments and other special needs.