By Rukayat Moisemhe
Mrs Anastasia Koya, a retired instructor at Pacelli School for the Blind and Partially Sighted Children, has referred to as for elevated public consciousness and acceptance of individuals with disabilities to allow them to stay significant and unbiased lives.
Koya made the decision on Tuesday in Lagos at her eightieth birthday celebration and the launch of her e-book.
The e-book is titled: “Behold the Hand of God: My Decades of Teaching the Visually Impaired at Pacelli School for the Blind and How It All Began”.
She mentioned that ignorance, prejudice and unfavourable perceptions have been nonetheless affecting how individuals with disabilities are handled.
The retired instructor careworn that incapacity shouldn’t be related to non secular affliction or considered a motive to discriminate in opposition to anybody.
She urged dad and mom to just accept and assist kids with disabilities relatively than abandon or neglect them, noting that with applicable care and schooling, they might grow to be professionals and contribute meaningfully to society.
“Don’t look down on anyone who has a disabled child. Don’t think the woman has committed a sin, that’s why she has this. No, nobody has committed any sin,” she mentioned.
Koya, who spent a long time educating visually impaired kids, mentioned her experiences at Pacelli School had taught her persistence, compassion and the significance of recognising the talents of kids with disabilities.
According to her, lots of the kids she taught had grown into profitable adults, together with legal professionals and professors, demonstrating the significance of offering them with alternatives to be taught and develop their talents.
“I got to love them, I got to embrace them, I got to know more about them and I was learning from them,” she mentioned.
She mentioned the e-book was impressed by her son, who inspired her to doc her experiences and share sensible classes on caring for individuals with disabilities with a wider viewers.
Koya additionally urged dad and mom to hunt applicable medical care throughout being pregnant and observe skilled medical recommendation to scale back preventable well being problems that might result in disabilities.
She emphasised that anybody may purchase a incapacity by sickness or an accident, making it needed for society to deal with individuals with disabilities with dignity and compassion.
Mr Elijah Akinyemi, a former Permanent Secretary within the Ogun civil service and spokesperson for Friends of Mrs Koya of Pacelli School, described the writer as a seasoned educator, goal-driven skilled and authority in schooling.
Akinyemi mentioned Koya was one of many college’s longest-serving lecturers and had demonstrated the qualities of its founders, sisters Carmel and Rosario, in caring for and nurturing the youngsters.
He mentioned the e-book would assist authorities, most of the people and non secular organisations higher perceive points affecting individuals with disabilities.
“The real problem in this country is ignorance. People do not know much about disabilities, and those who are there to educate the general public are not doing their best,” he mentioned.
Akinyemi careworn that incapacity had no reference to faith or spiritualism, including that public schooling was needed to deal with misconceptions and discrimination.
Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, recommended Koya for dedicating a long time to the schooling and welfare of kids with disabilities.
Orelope-Adefulire mentioned the writer’s work had helped kids purchase schooling and develop the capability to stay significant lives and grow to be self-reliant.
She urged visitors to acquire copies of the e-book and assist efforts to enhance the welfare of weak kids.
Oba Emmanuel Olusanu, the Ajalaiye of Ilugun South, Ijebu, Ogun, described Koya as an amiable persona whose work had positively affected many lives.
He prayed for her continued good well being and longevity, describing her dedication to educating and caring for visually impaired kids as distinctive.
The conventional ruler mentioned that the e-book paperwork Koya’s a long time of expertise educating visually impaired kids at Pacelli School and highlighted the significance of schooling, acceptance and look after individuals with disabilities. (NAN)
Edited by Folasade Adeniran
