The law as a tool to guarantee the inclusive education of the Nigerian child

Abstract

Educating a child with special needs or disability in Nigeria continues to raise concerns of a lack of quality. While education is provided for in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, it is seen as more of an obligation than a right by the majority of Nigerians. From the Nigerian child with a hearing impairment to the one with vision or mobility challenges, the question of their rights in education remain violated and neglected. The absence of equal treatment affects the dignity of the Nigerian child.

It is on the above premise that the authors adopt a multidisciplinary approach to analysing the education of children with special needs in Nigeria. The study draws from international and national legal frameworks and argues that more needs to be done to ensure quality in education. In addition, the study advances the legal basis for holding governments accountable for failing to meet its obligations in the education of the Nigerian child. The paper is structured in different sections which deal with the legal framework, conceptual clarifications, and the advancement of the basis for demanding equal and quality education for the Nigerian child. Finally, the paper makes some conclusions and recommendations.