The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmed has said that sign language is a bridge and not a barrier, emphasizing that it connects minds, shapes friendships, and unlocks the future.
The Minister stated this at an event to mark the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child, organised by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in Abuja on Thursday.
According to her, this year’s theme, “Lead a Change: Learn Sign Language Today”, is a pledge to remove barriers, widen access, and ensure that every girl child, regardless of ability, background, or circumstances has a voice, a seat at the table, and a path to success in education and life.
Prof. Ahmad however called for the adoption of sign language in schools to bridge the education gap and ensure inclusive education for girls with disabilities.
The Minister emphasized the need of training more sign language interpreters in schools, introduction of sign language across teachers training curricula, and establishing classrooms with equipment that enables visual-gestural communication.
She urged collective action to address the obstacles faced by the girl child, including poverty, stigma, and safety concerns, and reassured the government ‘s commitment to inclusive education, the rights of persons with disabilities, and the expansive potential of every girl learner.
“We must align our policies, coordinate our funding, and synchronize our programs so that a girl who begins her journey in primary school will have pathways that lead to secondary education, vocational training, and beyond. We must ensure that disability inclusion is not an afterthought but a core principle across all sectors,
“The Universal Basic Education Commission has a crucial mandate: to ensure that every child has access to free, compulsory, and quality basic education. We will continue to expand inclusive education programs—ensuring adaptive learning environments, sign language interpretation where needed, and teaching methodologies that meet diverse learning needs” the Minister added.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Aisha Garba, emphasized that UBEC is working to ensure that schools have sign language interpreters, ramps, and other accessibility structures to enable children with special needs to move with dignity and ease.
The ES, further stated that the Commission
has a policy in place to institutionalise the teaching and learning of sign language in all basic education schools across Nigeria.
Aisha Garba said UBEC is also investing in the training of teachers and caregivers to meet the unique needs of learners, especially as they adopt digital trends that enhance teaching and learning for children with disabilities.
She called on parents, teachers, and caregivers to show empathy and patience to girls living with disabilities, and to appreciate their strength, resilience, and beauty, and also encouraged girls to start sign language clubs in their schools and lead the change, one sign at a time.