EXAMINATION OF PARENTAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE EDUCATION OF THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGE CHILDREN IN ARGUNGU LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF KEBBI STATE.

Thesis Overview

<p> <b>1.0 INTRODUCTION&nbsp;</b></p><p><b>1.1 Background to the stud</b>y&nbsp;</p><p>It is an established fact that the importance of education to the development of any society cannot be over emphasized. The development of any society depends heavily on its level of education. According to Adelowo (2006) Education is the aggregate of all the processes by which a child or a young adult develops the abilities, attitudes and other forms of behavior which are of positive value to the society in which he lives. Dewey (2006) maintains that, education is wise, hopeful and respectful cultivation of learning undertaken in the belief that all should have the chance to share in life. Similarly, Adedoja (2005) maintains that, education is the training of the entire person to enable him not only to be able to read and write or proficient in a given job, but also to enable him to fit himself for living in a society. Ahmad (2008) education is the process by which an individual born into a human society, learn the ways of life, which include knowledge, skills and values of the society, at home community and schools, so that he can function effectively as a member of the given society (Abosi, 2007). In view of the above, it is therefore necessary to provide education for every member of the society regardless of any difference in order to achieve maximum development. In an attempt to provide education for all, the United Nations through the United National Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNICEF), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNESCO) and other agencies are making efforts to make sure that all children received necessary education that will make them responsible members of the society. Government of different countries, non-governmental organizations are also making effort in this regard. Each country has its own policies and programmes that are concerned with the provision of sound education for all the citizens.&nbsp;</p><p>In Nigeria, the past and present government made programme with the aim of making sure that all Nigerians receive education. For example, the government introduced Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme in 1970s which aimed at providing free education for every Nigerian child. The programme helps a lot in this regard. Presently, we have Universal Basic Education (UBE) which replaced the UPE. The programme is an educational programme of the federal republic of Nigeria which aimed at providing free, universal and compulsory basic education for all child aged 6-15 years. The programme was conceived during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo and launched on 30th September, 1999. It is meant for all Nigerians including the rich, poor, physically fit and challenged, brilliant, the dull etc. Through this programme, different schools were established to cater for the physically challenged children and sometimes they are integrated with normal children in the same school set up to receive education. Despite the efforts to provide education of the physically challenged children like other normal children, they are still facing a lot of challenges due to parental attitudes towards them. These negative attitudes to the physically challenged children begin from the homes where their parents see them as a shame and thus, there is no need for them to acquire education consequently, majority of them end up in begging or stay in their homes useless. Most of the physically challenged children do not receive education. International statistics of the Convention of the Right of the Child (CRC) (2006) point that only 2% of the disabled children enjoy the privilege of going to school. This is a serious violation of Convention of the Right of the Child (CRC) which guarantees the right of every child’s going to school. Based on this, as students of education, we realized that it is necessary to make a research on this aspect in Argungu Local Government of Kebbi state in order to make parent change their attitudes to good towards the education of the physically challenged children in the society for better development.&nbsp;</p><p><b>1.3 Statement of the Problem</b>&nbsp;</p><p>Despite the efforts made by government and other agencies in order to make sure that all children receive qualitative education that will make them responsible members of the society, it has been realized that the majority of the parents developed negative attitudes of discrimination and marginalization towards the education of their physically challenged children in Nigeria including Argungu Local Government of Kebbi state. Most of the parents see disabled children as shameful creatures that are destined for doom. As a result, the concerned children suffer lack of acceptance, lack of recognition, social marginalization etc. which highly affect their future lives. Consequently, most of them roam the streets for alms or used to beg for alms instead of going to school to received education. As contrast to the provision of the National Policy on Education NPE (2012) which provided that every child have the right to education regardless of any difference. It is therefore necessary to make a research on this issue for the purpose of given concrete information that will lead to developing positive attitudes of parents towards education of the physically challenged children of Argungu Local Government of Kebbi state.&nbsp;</p><p><b>1.4 Objective of the study</b>&nbsp;</p><p>This research project is designed to achieved the following objectives:&nbsp;</p><p>1. To examine the role of parents in providing education for the physically challenged children in Argungu Local Government of Kebbi state.&nbsp;</p><p>2. To identify the types of physical challenges children are having in Argungu local government of keebi state&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;3. To find out the types of negative attitudes developed by parents and community members on physically challenged children towards their education.&nbsp;</p><p>4. To find out the social problems/challenged of education of the physically challenged children in Argungu Local Government of Kebbi state.&nbsp;</p><p><b>1.5 Research Question&nbsp;</b></p><p>This research project is designed to answer the following research question:&nbsp;</p><p>1. What are the role of parents in providing education for the physically challenged children in Argungu Local Government of Kebbi state?</p><p>&nbsp;2. What types of physical challenges children are having in Argungu Local Government of Kebbi state?&nbsp;</p><p>3. What types of negative attitudes are developed by parents and community members on physically challenge children towards their education?&nbsp;</p><p>4. What are the social problem/challenged of the physically challenged children in Argungu Local Government of Kebbi state?&nbsp;</p><p><b>1.6 Significance of the Study&nbsp;</b></p><p>This research is concern with the investigation of parents’ attitudes towards the education of the physically challenged children in Argungu local government of Kebbi state. The findings would make the parents of the physically challenge children to be aware of the importance of education and give their children necessary assistance towards being educated. This would provide information to the teachers about the nature of the physically challenged children and how to educate them effectively by applying various method of instruction. It would also benefit the students and other researchers in the course of further researches as a reference material, by providing information concerning attitudes of parents towards the education of their physically challenged children Other stakeholders are also not left behind on this research as it help them in necessary decision making that will improved the education of physically challenged children in Argungu local government of Kebbi state and the society at large. It would also help the government to increase appropriate provision for the education of the physically challenge children in Nigeria including Argungu local government of Kebbi state. For example, more special schools need to be establish as well as trained and special teachers need to be employed. By and large, the finding would provide information to the community that would expand the body of knowledge. And help with creative information on how to tackle the problems being face by the physically challenged children in terms of education.&nbsp;</p><p><b>1.7 Scope and Delimitation of the Stud</b>y&nbsp;</p><p>This research is concern with the examination of the attitudes of parents towards the education of the physically challenged children in Argungu Local Government of Kebbi state. Argungu local government consists ten areas/wards, but due to the financial and time constraints, the researchers would not be able to cover all the areas of the Argungu Local Government. Therefore, they decided to limit themselves to some selected areas to represent the entire population. These areas include: Kokani South Ward, Kokani North Ward, Galadima Ward, Gulma and Alwasa areas of the local government. The selection was justifiable in the sense that, the areas are politically distributed, because kokani north is representing northern part of Argungu, kokani south is representing southern part of Argungu, while Gulma and Alwasa wards are outside the Argungu metropolis. <br></p>