Enabling Access and Legal Rights of the Physically Challenged to Education in Academic Institutions in Nigeria

Abstract

A good starting point towards building a sustainable future for the physically challenged in Nigeria is to provide effective legal backing, access to education and institutional structure to support their educational empowerment. This paper seeks to interrogate whether the physically challenged in Nigeria have secured their legal and institutional right of access to education. It is observed that the physically challenged are continually being deprived reasonable access to education and this has contributed negatively to their social conditions in the long run. It is suggested that the Nigerian government should streamline a substantial legal and policy framework with the aim of guaranteeing access to education for all persons with disability. In order for these policies to succeed, the changes should fundamentally transform the educational approach by ensuring that persons with disability are not excluded from the general educational system on the basis of disability.

Keywords: Academic Institutions, Access, Legal Rights, Physically Challenged, Nigeria