Nigerian schools have been urged to equip their schools with the right professional expertise, resources, and training to meet expanding need for inclusive education.
Lai Koiki, executive director of Greensprings School, disclosed this at the World Inclusion Congress held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, recently, with the theme ‘Inclusive Education in Nigeria: Progress, Challenges, and the Road Ahead’.
According to Koiki, the impact of inclusion extends far beyond academics. The meaningful social interactions and friendships formed between neurotypical and neurodivergent learners have fostered empathy, understanding, and a genuine sense of community, shaping a generation that truly embodies the spirit of inclusion.
Koiki said that there is a growing demand for inclusion across Nigerian schools, adding that the need for inclusive education can no longer be denied.
In her address, Koiki shared Greensprings School’s remarkable journey towards inclusion, a journey that began at a time when special needs education was still an unfamiliar territory in Nigeria.
She recounted how the school took deliberate steps to identify and support learners struggling within the traditional mainstream system by engaging the services of credible external assessment centres and investing in staff training.
Over the years, these efforts evolved into a well-structured inclusion model through a multi-disciplinary Learning Support Department, a whole-school approach and the establishment of an assessment centre led by a team of dedicated Psychologists that today supports a wide range of learners through assessments, differentiated instruction, therapy support, and specialised interventions.
Addressing fellow delegates, she called on professionals present at the Congress to collaborate with Nigerian educators through capacity-building programmes, mentorship, and exchange initiatives that can strengthen inclusive practice across the country.
Sharing some of Greensprings School’s most moving success stories, Koiki reflected on the profound impact of inclusion on both learners and their families. She recounted how, over the years, neurodivergent learners who were once kept at home and hidden from the public eye have found belonging, purpose, and hope within the inclusive environment of Greensprings School. She described how witnessing the joy and renewed optimism in parents’ eyes remains one of her most fulfilling experiences
Koiki also shared the remarkable story of a neurodivergent learner who, after years of consistent support and perseverance, graduated from college at the age of 35 with honour, a milestone that powerfully illustrates what is possible when schools create safe and nurturing spaces where all learners can thrive.
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