THE HISTORY OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA FROM 1875 - 1990

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The gradual development of education for exceptional children was born out of evolutionary process of Nigeria into nationhood. The African child especially the exceptional children such as children that have physical defects, emotional disturbances, intellectual sub-normality and other forms of exceptionalities were protected and was given traditional form of special education before this time, in which the parents, siblings and other members of the community were fully engaged in the education of the child. The children were taught to the limit of their abilities through practical demonstration which involves the art of cooking, fishing, weaving, and farming. This professional field activity of the exceptional children or special education is not new in Nigeria. Special education begins during preliminary and early military periods.
 In 1875, the Roman Catholic Mission was the first school established in Nigeria for the disabled and it was the Topo Industrial School for the maladjusted, near Badagry.
 In 1890, a Reverend Father established the Sacred Heart Hospital Lantoro in Abeokuta.
 In 1933, the former Kanu Natives Authority established the first residential centre for Special Education.
 In 1936, this three people namely- Dr. (Mrs.) D.F. Money, Dr. (Rev.) Badeen and Daws (Denga, 1987) established the Special Education Centre at Oji River for the treatment of Leprosy.
 In 1953, the Gindin School for the blind was established by the Sudan Interior Mission. The blind persons were taught basic literacy and crafts to enable them read crafts and braille.
 In 1958, philanthropists, mostly Methodist Members established the first school for the deaf known as the Wesley School for the Deaf.
 In 1960, the Ibadan Mission School for the deaf was established by Foster a black deaf American. Sign language training Skills for the deaf in Nigeria was introduced by him (Foster). At Asata in Enugu, Foster established another school for the deaf which was later merged with the existing special education centre for the deaf at Ogbeta in 1964.
 In 1961, the women voluntary organization established the child care and treatment Home, School and Clinic.
 In 1964, at Ibadan the Home School for the handicapped children was established.
 In 1965, the placement Home/School at Apapa (Kirikiri) Lagos was established by Beth Torrey for mentally retarded children. In that same year, the Anglican Diocese of Lagos established the Atunda-Olu (school) for physically handicapped children.
 In 1974, Special Schools were took over by the Government. In that same year, the kwara School for the Deaf and the Blind was established by the Kwara State Government. In the same year also, the Federal Ministry of Education established Special education Unit. That year, allocation worth the sum of 5.6 Million naira was allocated to the development of the educational programmes for the blind handicapped persons by the Federal Government.
 In 1975, declaration was made by the then Federal Government (Gowon, the Head of State) that Nigeria would provide special education to its citizens. In that year also, the special Education Unit of the University of Ibadan became a Full Department through wish other government special schools started coming up.
 In 1977, the Federal Government established the handicapped special school (Saki), schools for the Blind (Ogbonosho and Benin), school for the Deaf and so may others.
 In 1978, the physically handicapped St, Joseph’s Rehabilitation Centre was established in many state and towns.
 In 1986, handicapped schools was established in Auchi.
 In 1990, at the Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, the Federal Government in pursuance of the education for handicapped persons established a centre for supportive services for the Deaf.

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