CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION:
1.1 Background of the study
The basic philosophy of Nigerian education emphasizes integrating the individual into a sound and effective citizen by providing educational opportunities from primary to the tertiary level. Since the mid-1960s, Government‟s commitment has been the use of education as a tool for social change and for national development. The recommendations from the first national curriculum conference of 1969 culminated into the National Policy on Education (NPE) first published in 1977, revised in 1981, 1998 and 2004. In its introductory sentence, it states that education in Nigeria is an instrument “par excellence” for effective national development.
In 2000, the Federal Government stated that with the return of democracy, her commitment was to pursue people- oriented educational policies as its guiding principle (Federal Government of Nigeria, 2000).The Current Policy on Education emphasizes educating the primary age children, with the compulsory free Universal Basic Education (UBE), yet many children are still not in schools for one reason or the other, because they are physically challenged. Some of their physical disabilities include: blindness, deafness, mental retardation, and social/emotional maladjustment among others (NPE, 2004). They are physically challenged because of their peculiar problems which normal children do not have. These problems prevent them from fitting into the society easily since they have some difficulties in learning and job placement.
However, people realize that handicapped children deserve the same opportunity which normal children have. If the Nigerian society has adopted a policy of universal education, then it should include education for everyone. Therefore, if the handicapped are not opportune to learn in normal educational settings, they should, at least be given the opportunity of exposure to special education which is in line with the Federal Government‟s desire as found in the National Policy on Education (NPE, 2004). The basic premise is to enable every individual to pursue an all-round development through life-long learning. In 1977, the Nigerian Government set up some specific national objectives for special education. These include the following:-
i. equal educational opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their ability and challenges to learn;
ii. a census of all handicapped children and adults;
iii. establishment of a National Teachers‟ College for special education;
iv. incorporation of courses on teaching methods in special education into the curriculum of Teachers‟ Training Colleges and
v. provision of special education units in the public schools to achieve integration where possible (NPE, 1977).
The National Policy on Education has been aiming to achieve the goals of education as stated in the1970s and 1990s particularly the need to create opportunities for the disabled to acquire vocational education as contained in the Draft on Disability Policy (DRDP) National Policy on Special Education (NPE, 2004). However it was in the 1980s that a comprehensive plan was launched to make vocational and technical skills
subjects an integral part of the school curriculum, especially at both basic and secondary school levels.
Art and crafts is one of the vocational subjectsthat aimedat preparing the youth for work, thereby equipping the physically challenged with skills for self- employment, but the question isto what extent arethe special schools equipped or what are the problems of special schools? Do the students see art and crafts as positive vocational subject? Do they have the materials and human resources for effective teachingof the Arts and Crafts? These and other related questions
INTRODUCTION:
1.1 Background of the study
The basic philosophy of Nigerian education emphasizes integrating the individual into a sound and effective citizen by providing educational opportunities from primary to the tertiary level. Since the mid-1960s, Government‟s commitment has been the use of education as a tool for social change and for national development. The recommendations from the first national curriculum conference of 1969 culminated into the National Policy on Education (NPE) first published in 1977, revised in 1981, 1998 and 2004. In its introductory sentence, it states that education in Nigeria is an instrument “par excellence” for effective national development.
In 2000, the Federal Government stated that with the return of democracy, her commitment was to pursue people- oriented educational policies as its guiding principle (Federal Government of Nigeria, 2000).The Current Policy on Education emphasizes educating the primary age children, with the compulsory free Universal Basic Education (UBE), yet many children are still not in schools for one reason or the other, because they are physically challenged. Some of their physical disabilities include: blindness, deafness, mental retardation, and social/emotional maladjustment among others (NPE, 2004). They are physically challenged because of their peculiar problems which normal children do not have. These problems prevent them from fitting into the society easily since they have some difficulties in learning and job placement.
However, people realize that handicapped children deserve the same opportunity which normal children have. If the Nigerian society has adopted a policy of universal education, then it should include education for everyone. Therefore, if the handicapped are not opportune to learn in normal educational settings, they should, at least be given the opportunity of exposure to special education which is in line with the Federal Government‟s desire as found in the National Policy on Education (NPE, 2004). The basic premise is to enable every individual to pursue an all-round development through life-long learning. In 1977, the Nigerian Government set up some specific national objectives for special education. These include the following:-
i. equal educational opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their ability and challenges to learn;
ii. a census of all handicapped children and adults;
iii. establishment of a National Teachers‟ College for special education;
iv. incorporation of courses on teaching methods in special education into the curriculum of Teachers‟ Training Colleges and
v. provision of special education units in the public schools to achieve integration where possible (NPE, 1977).
The National Policy on Education has been aiming to achieve the goals of education as stated in the1970s and 1990s particularly the need to create opportunities for the disabled to acquire vocational education as contained in the Draft on Disability Policy (DRDP) National Policy on Special Education (NPE, 2004). However it was in the 1980s that a comprehensive plan was launched to make vocational and technical skills
subjects an integral part of the school curriculum, especially at both basic and secondary school levels.
Art and crafts is one of the vocational subjectsthat aimedat preparing the youth for work, thereby equipping the physically challenged with skills for self- employment, but the question isto what extent arethe special schools equipped or what are the problems of special schools? Do the students see art and crafts as positive vocational subject? Do they have the materials and human resources for effective teachingof the Arts and Crafts? These and other related questions
