Seeing is believing? Nah, for our blind pikin dem the real vision comes from policy we actually fund. The director of the Resource Centre for the Blind just shouted that federal and state governments must pump money into inclusive education, assistive gadgets and specialised teacher training. She also warned that we lack enough teachers who know how to teach maths to the visually impaired and that schools still don’t have Braille books or screen‑readers. Because of that, many blind youths end up chasing arts or law, convinced they cannot be doctors or engineers.
That’s the ugly truth, sure guy. We can keep throwing slogans on World Sight Day while the textbooks sit dusty and the tech gathers dust. If we really want to turn the tide, we must move beyond statements and set up public‑private partnerships that fund the purchase and maintenance of devices, create a train‑the‑trainer pipeline, and force ministries to audit schools for accessibility. Otherwise the cycle repeats and our talent pool stays crippled.
Nigeria has the tech talent and the market to produce affordable assistive solutions – why not harness it? Let’s hear how we can pressure the ministries, rally NGOs and get the private sector to step in. Your thoughts?