In Nigeria, persons with disabilities, who use wheelchairs cannot freely attend school without the worry of missing classes or the fear of getting injured.

 I am a person with disability who uses a wheelchair and had to go through the same fears and worries to get an education to better my lot. It was only possible for me because of my friends and course mates.

Classrooms and school infrastructures are not disability friendly, neither are they wheelchair accessible. It is nigh impossible for persons with disabilities who use wheelchairs to gain access to classrooms and laboratories because there are no ramps or working elevators. These classrooms and laboratories, most times, are accessible through steps or are a floor or more high.

I always had to be carried up a flight of stairs for laboratory work throughout my stay in the university, which meant that when there was no one to help, I would have to miss classes or laboratory work. I had to spend part of a semester and the whole of the next one out of class, just sitting in the car park, hoping to get into classes because the hall I had been using for lectures which had been accessible was changed.

 Finally, I had to pick up the courage to take the advice of my friends to be lifted up in the air with my wheelchair to gain access into the lecture hall, for my education and tuition fees sake. One fateful day, I fell off the wheelchair while we were doing this. Save for the lecturer shouting out and my fellow course mates prompt response in catching me, I would have fallen to the ground from a height of about 5 metres.

Unfortunately, I know this story is not peculiar to me, though multi-faceted or different in versions, but the same story nonetheless. Just like the story of Blessing Omowunmi aka Shona, another one of the many stories of the struggle to get an education by everyone who uses a wheelchair in Nigeria. 

The Government, Ministry of Education and National Commission for Persons with Disabilities need to go beyond promises, policies and laws, and by action do the necessary.

 The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities and Ministry of Education need to make schools wheelchair accessible for students and staff alike by making school buildings have ramps and/or elevators to every room, hall or office for those using wheelchairs. This can be done in every federal and state school, from elementary to tertiary levels.

Please support my petition, and join the call on the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities so that persons who use wheelchairs can have access to classes in government schools, from elementary to tertiary levels, by making sure that these schools have ramps and/or elevators.

Your signature will greatly help to achieve this. 

#WheelchairAccessibilityforSchools

(Image Credit: Ayodeji Ogunro)