A Demographic Study of handicapped Children in Schools In Plateau State: Implications For Education Service Provision

Abstract

The demographic survey of handicapped children was conducted in schools in Plateau State. Five special schools for the handicapped and twenty-one integrated schools were covered in the survey. A total of five hundred and thirteen children that were made up of the auditorily impaired, mentally retarded, multiple impaired, physically impaired as well as visually impaired were studied. The main purpose of this study was to survey the characteristics of the handicapped children in schools in both special and integrated schools with a view to study analytically their basic demographic characteristics and to make recommendations that would improve the provision of educational other related services for the handicapped children. The paucity of data on the handicapped children hinders knowledge of their demographic characteristics which adversely affect the implementation of policies targeted on them. The Demographic survey instrument (DSI) and Related Service Survey Instrument (RSSI) were used to collect the relevant data. Data were presented on age ranges of the population, causes of each type of handicapping condition, age at onset of impairment, the prevalence rate, educational placement, age students started education, service delivery options, vocation and alternative living potentials after school, using tables, percentages, bargraphs. The findings among others indicated that auditory impaired was the most prevalent, the least being the multiple impaired. The findings showed that the prevalent rate of all the impairments in the area of study is 0.08%. The auditorily impairment with prevalent rate of .0057 was the most prevalent of all, and this is followed by physical impairment and visual impairment with the rate of .00009% each. This finding corroborates the international statistics, which showed that among children the numerical most common type of disability is deafness. The highest percentage of the handicapped were of Hausa ethnicity, and males were more in number than female handicapped in schools. The causes of the various categories of impairments included meningitis for auditory impairment, congenital factors for mentally retarded and multiple impairment, poliomyelitis for physical impairment and measles for visual impairment as the xiii most frequent factors in each case. There was indication that more children were affected by various categories of impairment early in life at age range of birth to nine years. Also, a high percentage of the population will enter into competitive employment and vocational training not for the handicapped. The implications of the study among others means that there is need for the provision of preventive special education services as well as adequate and appropriate facilities and equipment and materials for the education of the handicapped. There is need for early diagnostic and screening services that would ensure early therapeutic and special education for those early detected. Recommendations were made suggesting among others that diagnostic and screening centers should be established in every educational zone in the state. Methods of prevention and control of diseases such as meningitis, enchocerciasis, poliomyelitis, as well as general preventive measures of handicapping conditions should be made compulsory in curriculum of schools. More integrated schools should be established in each Local Government Area. Integrated schools for the handicapped emphasize inclusive education, which among other things provide equal opportunity for access to a quality education at all, levels. A greater emphasis should be placed on prevocational and daily living skills programming and planning for work and living options after school.