Blind school wants accommodation for staff

The FCT School for the Blind at Jabi, Abuja, yesterday appealed to the FCT Administration to provide accommodation for teaching as well as non-teaching staff in the school compound, so that pupils of the school can enjoy their boarding facilities.

The school’s Head Teacher, Mrs Regina Dunej, made the observation while responding to questions from journalists, shortly after taking delivery of teaching aids donated to the school by the Association of Spouses of Head of Missions (ASOHOM), Abuja.

She said no teacher lives within the school’s compound to assist pupils to enjoy the full benefits of a boarding system.

The association Chairperson, Libby Mc Cutchan from Australia, gave the school two Braille machines and hearing aids to two pupils of the school with ear problems, educational CD players and text books.

She said the gesture was part of the association’s humanitarian assistance to the less privileged, which will benefit the pupils of the school greatly if properly utilised.

According to her, the association was established in 1993 in Lagos with the aim of supporting women and children in the country.

“The association has constructed boreholes in different villages, donated books to schools as well as supporting underprivileged teenage girls with sporting programmes,” she added.

Responding, Head Teacher of the school, Mrs Regina Dunej, thanked the association for the gesture and said the equipment, especially the hearing aids will help Sani Azamu and Ibrahim Aliyu ease  their hearing problems.

She recalled that the school was established at Zuba with two pupils and three teachers, adding that the population of the school has grown to 76.

According to her, some graduates of the school are in the university, while some are in secondary school.

‘’It is unfortunate that pupils in this school are of poor background and some of their parents are illiterates who do not really value school and this is giving us difficulties in terms of early resumption of pupils after holidays,’’ she said.

She commended the school’s pupils for their intelligence and called on other humanitarian organisations, corporate organisations, government as well as wealthy individuals to assist the school with learning and teaching aids.