By Ude Ogbonnaya Israel
The Vice Chancellor of University of Jos Professor Tanko Ishaya has said that the institution has the intention of inclusivity of persons with special needs.
The Vice Chancellor made the assertion recently during the University management meeting as he received the Festschrift from one Professor Emeka D. Ozoji who played the gesture of giving back to the University.
Professor Ishaya who lauded the gesture assured that the publications will be judiciously and widely read from the university’s libraries.
According to him, the institution will continue to leverage on scholarly contributions such as those of the 2023 Festschrift donor, Prof Emeka Ozoji.
Ealier, Prof Ozoji hinted that the three volume-seven section Festschrift was titled Special Needs Education from the Lens of Interdisciplinary Dialogue.
He said the Festschrift was based on the Salamanca Statement 1994 (Framework for Action) which held that everything done for special needs children must follow inclusiveness.
He further submitted that the Festschrift adopted the new perspective of special needs education as opposed to the old concept which negates the principle inclusive education.
“The concept of dialogue is to forge partnership between special needs education professionals and their neighbouring professionals from other disciplines who need related service providers in proper understanding of students with special needs and in providing adequate inclusive services to them”, he said.
The three sets of the Festschrift according to him were donated to the three libraries of the University including the Central, Faculty and Department to enhance wider readership and to grow better understanding of the students with special needs.
Professor Ozoji added that the fourth set was for the Vice Chancellor’s personal library as a token of appreciation of his uncommon interest and commitment to the course of students with special needs in this university.
