The Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) has urged parents of disabled children, particularly those with Cerebral Palsy, to invest in their children’s futures by providing them with high-quality education, claiming that such a gesture would ensure them a dignified life in the future.
Mr. Oluwadamilare Ogundairo, LASODA’s General Manager, made the remark while receiving a delegation from Gilead Initiatives in honor of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day.
Mr. Akintunde Oguntoye, the Agency’s Director of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Orientation, represented Ogundairo, who stated that education is the fundamental human right of all children, regardless of disability, and that it is critical for parents to educate their disabled children, regardless of status, in accordance with the Lagos State Special People’s Law of 2011.
In his words: “Education, both formal and informal, plays a significant role in the life of every child; it prepares them for a future of dignity and self-worth which contribute to their future quality of life. Parents must, therefore, desist from keeping their ‘special’ children at home and denying them a brighter future”
He added that the Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day campaign aims to encourage everyone to cease discriminating against children with cerebral palsy and to offer them the opportunity to contribute to their own well-being as well as the well-being of society as a whole.
The General Manager urged all parents and guardians to understand the inherent potentials that their children’s education development could reveal, rather than focusing on their children’s current state.
Dr. Busola Olufolajimi Idowu, the founder of Great Expectation Private School and Lead Facilitator for Gilead Initiatives, said the organization’s main goal is to help people with disabilities.
She stated that the best thing that can be done for children, regardless of disability, is to educate them, and that in situations when their cognitive abilities are impaired, it is critical to teach such people in occupations of interest in order to instill a sense of responsibility in them.
“An influenced destiny is a destiny that thrives, As a result, the earlier we begin, the better our chances will be, particularly for youngsters with Cerebral Palsy.”
“Celebrating every small victory is a step toward greatness for them.” She enthused, “Let us all join hands to expose, engage, and empower them to become the finest version of themselves,” Dr. Idowu added.
