THE ATTITUDE OF THE SOCIETY TOWARDS SPECIAL EDUCATION IN UVWIE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF

DELTA STATE

BY

ORJI OMAFUME MEWHOROREN

Department of Petroleum Engineering & Geosciences Petroleum Training Institute, P. M. B. 20, Effurun, Delta State

fumelinks@yahoo.com08035748541

And

ACHI ANTHONY NDUBUISI

Department of Educational FoundationsFederal College of Education (Technical) Asaba

Delta Stateachibeke@gmail.com

08037458222

ABSTRACT

With the quest for better living for all persons, the education of the physically challenged persons

becomes more and more significant for their integration and productivity into and towards the

betterment of the society in which they live. One of the educational disciplines equipped to meet this

challenge is the subject of Special Education. Sadly, this subject does not get the recognition it

deserves. This study was aimed at investigating the attitude of the society towards special education

taking a focus on the Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State. The study adopted the survey

design. The sampling method used was cluster and simple random sampling techniques. The sample size

was one hundred and twenty (120) comprising of forty (40) Teachers, forty (40) Parents and forty (40)

senior secondary School students. The instrument used for the study was the questionnaire. It consisted

of thirty (30) items divided into three parts to elicit information on the status; acquaintance as well as

perception, attitude and interest of the respondents directly or indirectly with any Physically

Challenged Person (PCP) were sought. The data collected was analyzed using frequency and

contingency Test [chi- square (ø2) test]. Three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The study

revealed that there is no significant difference among parents, teachers and students of the effect of

their perception on the study of special education as a discipline; higher remuneration would probably

increase the interest in the subject of special education and there is no significant difference among

parents, teachers and students on the motivation to specialize in special education. Following the

findings, the researchers recommended that each state ministry of education should be responsible for

special education programmes in its own state; this responsibility must include planning, supervision

and funding; and Conferences for Parents to eradicate attitudinal Problems should be organized

annually. All sessions should be conducted in both English (the official language of Nigeria) and other

indigenous Nigerian languages

KEY WORDS: Attitude, Special Education, Special Educator, disabled Person and Physically

Challenged Person

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INTRODUCTION

Education is indispensable for and in nation building. Without education, there will be no

development, for no nation can rise above its educational level. Education therefore can be seen as the

heartbeat of a nation and development of the individual. According to Gordon (1959) ‘Schooling can

help people develop their innate capacities to live and work in even better way’. He went further to

stress that each person has a right and obligation to develop his aptitudes, a right to learn and a right to

make choices, only those choices he perceives and understands to contribute to the larger society, what

he has learnt and have the capacity to offer. From the foregoing, every member of the society has the

right to develop and contribute to the betterment of the society in general. Disabled persons are no

exception. In lieu of this, the United Nations (UN) Resolution of 3447 of 1975 declared the right of

disabled persons to education which enables them develop their capacities and skills and which will

hasten the process of their social integration. The Federal Government of Nigeria in her National Policy

on Education of 2004 made provisions for the education of disabled persons. Yet with the world’s

changing attitude towards the educational needs of the disabled person, there is still a great dearth of

Special Educators to meet the rapidly increasing educational aspirations of the disabled person.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Who is a Disabled Person?

A disabled person is defined as an individual who suffers a loss of a part or structure of the

body but does not interfere in his functioning, while a handicapped person is an individual who cannot

perform certain duties or tasks due to the presence of a disability. In recent times, with the awareness of

human rights, the term ‘disabled’ is frowned upon rather the term ‘the physically challenged’(PCP) is

more preferred.

Special Education

The Nigerian Educational Research Council (1977) defined special education as an area within

the framework of general education that provides appropriate facilities, specialized materials and

teachers (special educators) with adequate training for all types of children within the nation education

systems who have unusual needs without portraying the child as different from all other human beings.

The Federal Government of Nigeria (2004) in the National Policy on Education defines special

education as the education of children and adults who have learning difficulties because of different

sorts of handicaps: blindness, partial sightedness, deafness, hardness of hearing, health handicaps, and

so on due to circumstances of birth, inheritance, social position, mental and physical health patterns or

accidents in later life. As a result, few children are able to cope with normal school class organization

and method.

Special Educators

Are specially trained teachers to meet the unique needs and abilities of disabled and gifted

children who may fare poorly in regular education programs to help them make progress in special

educational programmes. Weber (1963) remarked that to teach exceptional children successfully, one

requires scientific knowledge and skill, abundant patience and a genuine interest in handicapped and

their welfare. The uniqueness of special education teachers include extra patience, flexibility, alertness,

resourcefulness, enthusiasm, emotional maturity and stability, personal warmth, friendliness,

understanding, sympathy together with objectivity and sensitivity and a host of other attributes that

would best help them in their interaction with the exceptional child. For many years, even to the present

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day, most Nigerians do not know nor appreciate the need for special education. Too many people are

uninterested in special education until they or their loved ones is handicapped.

Attitude

Attitude could be defined as a consistent tendency to react in a particular way-often positively

or negatively – toward any matter. Attitude possesses both cognitive and emotional components. Oke

and Ajeigbe (in Nwazuoke and Kolo 1996) cite Johnson (1979) who sees attitudes as: "a combination of

concepts, verbal information and emotions that result in a predisposition to respond favourably or

unfavourably towards particular people, groups, ideas, events or objects." An attitude describes the way

we think, feel about and act towards our fellow human beings and how they think and act towards us.

Attitudes are shaped by internal and external forces; the former to one general philosophy of life and the

latter to the prevailing norms of the society. Abosi and Ozoji (1985) states that the public generalize

that disability is pervasive of the personality with the unfortunate association of uselessness. In other

words, the loss of a valuable aspect of the body is misunderstood as a loss of the whole personality. The

loss is interpreted as helplessness, dependence, worthlessness and unproductiveness. The attitude of

Nigerians towards the handicapped has been classified into four viz:

i. Send them to beg ii. I am ashamed of you

iii. It’s not my business iv. Something ought to be done

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ATTITUDES TOWARDS DISABILITY AND SPECIAL

EDUCATION

History is replete with examples of disabled people worldwide being ridiculed, killed,

abandoned to die or condemned to permanent exclusion in asylums and ridiculed (Pritchard, 1963).

Anang (1992) claims that the Greeks abandoned their disabled babies on hillsides to die while early

Chinese left their disabled people to drown in rivers. In Europe, Nero Commodus is said to have

targeted bow and arrows on physically disabled individuals and the Church in the 15th century

sanctioned the extermination of disabled persons (Durant, 1944; Onwuegbu, 1988). Coleridge (1993)

traces through history the killing of people with disabilities, beginning with the Spartans who killed

disabled persons as a matter of law; the endorsement by Martin Luther to kill disabled babies because

they were 'incarnations of the devil'; the English eugenicists who eliminated disabled people under the

Darwinian evolution theory of the 'survival of the fittest' and the Nazi Euthanasia Programme under

Hitler to exterminate disabled people as they could not make any contribution to society. These

persecutions recorded in western cultures are still evident today.

In a world guided by economics, with its concern for investment and maximum rate of return,

inequalities of opportunities are created for people with disabilities. There are people today who are

strongly in favour of non-treatment of newborns with severe disabilities, much as were the nineteenth

century eugenicists (McDaniel, 1989). Termination of life is now affecting foetuses. For instance,

Gudalefsky and Madduma (1992:7) give an account of the "shocking and unacceptable" statement by a

European delegate at a recent world conference who reported "that his country has solved the problem

of defectives by the introduction of widespread amniocentesis and other prenatal testing procedures".

However, amid the raging persecutions, history also presents rays of positive societal

perception and action. For example, Anang (1992) reports on the interest in the problems of blind

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people which became manifest in Egypt in 2650 BC. Subsequently Egypt began to provide opportunity

for blind people "to engage in gainful employment" and to be known as the "country of the blind". As a

result of this fame, Anang (1992:17) writes: Pythagoras travelled to Egypt and observed the work being

done with the blind in Egypt and carried the story of their work to Greece. Pythagoras' visit to Egypt

created interest in the study of eye diseases and influenced public attitudes towards people with

blindness and other disabilities.

Favourable practices in rehabilitation and community care were found all over the world. For

example, Miles (1983), in his review of literature, reports of the use of prosthetic and artificial eyes in

India around the 6th century BC and "a remarkable tradition of community care for the mentally

disordered" which began in Belgium in the 5th century AD.

On the educational scene, the contributions made by such educational thinkers as Froebel,

Russeau, Locke and Montessori, to name but a few, have had an indirect influence on the understanding

of disabled learners (Ishumi, 1976). The history of special education is in fact a story of changing

attitudes towards people with disabilities; from private tuition, institutions, special schools to integration

and now gradually to inclusive education. It is worth noting that the idea and practice of integrated

education is not a 20th century innovation. Johann Wilhelm Klein advocated it vigorously in Austria in

1810, prepared a guide to assist regular class teachers who had blind children in their classes in 1819,

and this led to the issuing of a policy statement on integration in 1842 (Gearhart and Weishahn, 1976).

Historically, therefore, attitudes towards disabled people have been a mixture of persecution as well as

tolerance. However, the tolerance shown has been paternalistic. Disabled people were perceived as

incapable of making their own decisions and of taking control of their lives; they were viewed as people

who always need to be helped or as objects of pity and charity (Coleridge, 1993). This paternalistic

conception of disability is clearly evident in the work of voluntary organizations, especially in their

fund-raising activities (Ralph, 1989).

Unfortunately, paternalistic attitudes tend to create dependency and an incapacitating learned

helplessness in people with disabilities. It erodes the self-esteem of the recipient of charity (Oliver,

1990). Modern practices recognize and respect the disabled person as a person first and as disabled

second. Disabled people are not perceived as inferior or second-class citizens, but capable of

communicating and participating, entering into dialogue with other people (Freire, 1973). These are the

empowering practices, the very basis of people-centred development, which recognize that disabled

people, or any other group of human beings in society, need to be responsible for their own affairs.

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

Special education is a relatively new field which started as a result of the ostracism that

disabled persons suffer in their bid to acquire formal education. As civilization progressed,

considerations were given to the plight of the disabled person. Abang3 deduced that special education

developed as society searched for adequate ways to care for the exceptional child who could not profit

from regular educational services. Abang4 and other authors admit that it was the advent of the

Renaissance that marked the beginning of the consideration of the educational needs of the exceptional

individual. Historically, societies response towards the exceptional individual has covered virtually the

entire range of human reactions and emotions – from exterminations, superstition, ridicule, pity, and

exclusion to service, scientific study and respect as humans first and the handicapped persons second.

4

The development of the care and treatment of the exceptional individual has been evolutionary. From

early Greek writings, the handicapped child was left to die on the hillside. The Romans employed them

as entertainers for the rich and powerful. During the middle ages, they were employed as jesters in the

royal courts and some were forced to undergo scourging to drive out the demons thought to posses

them. Some still were given the right to beg as still seen in some countries today, Nigeria inclusive. The

coming of Christianity failed to bring about the resolution of the caring of the exceptional individual.

The modern era began with the work of Pedro de Lean (1520 – 1584) in the care of the deaf and

stretches to Edward Seguin (1812 – 1880) who established the first school for intellectual retardation in

Paris in 1837. The United Nations resolution 3447 which established the right of the physically

challenged to education also aided the growth of special education. The resolution was passed the same

year that President Ford endorsed the provision of education of the disabled in America.

NIGERIAN SOCIETAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS DISABLED PERSONS

Nigeria is a multi-ethnic nation and each tribe has its own culture which influences the attitude

of tribal members to disabled people. There is therefore no homogenous `Nigerian cultural attitude' to

anything. However, both Ogbue (1981) and Obani (1982, citing Jonson 1957, Nduku 1964, and Okediji

and Ogionwo 1970 as sources) collated and synthesized the beliefs of many Nigerian cultures regarding

the causes of handicapping conditions. These are seen as any one of, or a combination of:

(1) A curse on the family or the wider community for offenses against God or the gods; 

(2) Anger of the ancestors or ancestral gods for neglect or breached promises; 

(3) Punishment of the child for offenses committed in a previous incarnation; 

(4) Punishment for a parent's misdemeanor; 

(5) A potential evil person curtailed by the gods; 

(6) Punishment for offenses against the laws of the land or breaches of custom; 

(7) Wicked acts of witches and wizards.

In the light of such beliefs about the causes of handicaps, it is hardly surprising that attitudes to

disabled Nigerians are generally negative! Despite this, some Nigerian cultures treat their handicapped

members favourably for a variety of reasons. For example, where the handicap is believed to be caused

by a malevolent god, some groups will treat the handicapped child well to avoid further offending the

god. One of the pillars of Islam is almsgiving, thus beggars may be considered to be bringing a blessing

to others by providing them with an opportunity of earning merit (Jaquess 1977 and Laoye 1982). Thus

in Muslim areas, handicapped beggars will normally receive alms, often being regarded as those whom

`Allah the supreme God has created that the laws may be fulfilled' (Ogbue 1981 and Obani 1981).

However this can also fuel negative attitudes as handicapped beggars are seen as dependent and

helpless. Against this background there is an increasing interest among Nigerian Special Educators in

studying attitude and how it can be changed. Ozoji (1991,1993) states that integration aims at promoting

close interaction between disabled and non-disabled children in early life, and this hope of integration

dispelling negative and prejudiced attitudes towards the disabled, is shared by most Nigerian Special

Educators. This is based on the principle that attitudes are learnt and are acquired through experiences,

from which it follows that positive experiences can lead to positive attitude change.

5

THE ADEQUACY OF NIGERIAN SPECIAL EDUCATION

On paper, special education provision in Nigeria is second to none in Africa, but sadly the

actuality often falls far short of the theoretical provision. For example, the National Policy on Education

Para.55 (b) gives one of the objectives of special education as being `to provide adequate education for

all handicapped children...'. This leads to the consideration of what is `an adequate education' and

whether handicapped Nigerian children are receiving it. In our modern technological age, few would

deny that an `adequate education' should ensure that those educated are adequately grounded in science,

technology and mathematics (STM), but it is this aspect that is often woefully inadequate or even totally

absent in the schooling received by handicapped Nigerians, especially if their handicap is visual.

Although mathematics (or at least arithmetic) is normally taught at special schools for the blind, once a

blind student enters his/her integrated secondary school (all secondary education of the blind in Nigeria

is in integrated schools) he/she is likely to be `excused' or even actively excluded from mathematics or

the practical aspects of science and technology, thus receiving an education that is far from an

`adequate' preparation for life in an increasingly scientifically and technologically orientated Nigeria

(Hill 1991, 1994, Hill & Jurmang 1993, 1996a, Jurmang et al 1996).

Purpose of the Study

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the attitudes of the society towards the

subject of special education and the education of Physically Challenged Persons using Uvwie Local

Government Area of Delta State.

Research Hypotheses

The study specifically tested the following hypotheses

1. There is no significance in difference in the perception of parents, teachers and students on the

education of the Physically Challenged Persons (PCP).

2. There is no significant difference among parents, teachers and students of the effect of their

perception on the study of special education as a discipline.

3. There is no significant difference among parents, teachers and students on the motivation to

specialize in special education.

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The Simple Survey Research Design was employed in carrying out this study. The study was

carried out among the indigenes and residents of the Erovie quarters in Effurun community of Uvwie

Local Government Area of Delta State to evaluate the perception of the members of that group of

people to the subject of special education. The respondents were limited to teachers, parents and

students of the secondary school level.

Sample and Sampling Technique

The sample size was one hundred and twenty comprising of forty (40) parents, forty (40)

teachers and forty (40) students. The sampling methods used were both the cluster and the simple

random sampling techniques. The researchers broke up the population (Uvwie Local Government Area)

into ‘workable’ segments (clusters) using the simple random sampling in order to reduce research cost

in terms of time and money.

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Instrumentation

The research instrument used was the questionnaire. It consists of 30 items divided into three

parts: Part A was designed to elicit or generate information as relates to the status of the respondents.

Part B was to elicit information on the acquaintance of the respondents directly or indirectly with any

PCP. Part C was designed to measure the perception, attitude, and interest of the respondents towards

the subject of special education. It consisted of eighteen statements with four response categories coded

as follows: Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Disagree (D), Strongly Disagree (SD). The questionnaires

were distributed to the respondents in their homes (parents) and schools (students and Teachers) by the

researchers and collected by same after a lapse period. The instrument was validated by two special

education experts at the Delta State University. The validity of the instrument was assessed in terms of

content and face. The instrument was trail tested to establish the reliability with 30 subjects in a school

and Uvwie suburb that were not selected to be part of the study. The Kuder-Richardson 21 formula was

used in finding the coefficient of reliability which was founded to be 0.79. On the basis of the high

reliability coefficient the instrument was deem to be suitable in conducting the research.

Method of Data Analysis

The data was analyzed using the frequency and contingency test [chi- square (ø2) test].

Results

The results of the research hypotheses are shown in tables 1 – 6 below.

Hypothesis Ho1: There is no significance in difference in the perception of parents, teachers and

students on the education of the Physically Challenged Persons (PCP).

The result of hypothesis two is shown in tables 1- 2 below

TABLE 1: CONTINGENCY TABLE OF OBSERVED FREQUENCIES

SA A D DS TOTALParents 44 43 40 33 160Teachers 43 47 43 27 160Students 49 29 40 42 160Total 136 117 123 102 480

TABLE 2: COMPUTED TABLE (THEORETICAL)

SA A D DS TOTALParents 45.52 39.16 41.17 34.14 160Teachers 45.52 39.16 41.17 34.14 160Students 45.52 39.16 41.17 34.14 160Total 136.0 117.0 123.0 102.0 480ø2 = 8.5357 ≡ 8.55 ; degree of freedom (f) (4-1)(3-1) 3 x 2 = 6; the table value at P (0.05) or 5% =

12.6. At 5% of ø2 for six degree of freedom is 12.6, therefore the result is not significant.

Decision: The null hypothesis is upheld. A total of 136 responses seem to be strongly in support of the

education of PCP as against the 102 responses that indicate otherwise.

Hypothesis Two (Ho2): There is no significant difference among parents, teachers and students of the

effect of their perception on the study of special education as a discipline.

The result of hypothesis two is shown in tables 3- 4 below

TABLE 3: CONTINGENCY TABLE OF OBSERVED FREQUENCIES

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SA A D DS TOTALParents 41 59 43 17 160Teachers 43 57 44 16 160Students 50 59 42 9 160Total 134 175 129 42 480TABLE 4: COMPUTED TABLE (THEORETICAL)

SA A D DS TOTALParents 44.67 58.3 43.0 14.0 160Teachers 44.67 58.3 43.0 14.0 160Students 44.67 58.3 43.0 14.0 160Total 134.0 175.0 129.0 42.0 480ø2 = 3.6455 ≡ 3.65 ; f = 6; the table value at P (0.05) or 5% = 12.6

At 5% of ø2 for six degree of freedom is 12.6, therefore the result is not significant.

Decision: The null hypothesis is upheld. The result shows that most of the respondents had a working

knowledge of the subject of special education. This is revealed in the responses totaling 175 as against

134 responses that reveal an in-depth knowledge of the subject. 129 respondents disagreed with the

opinion that their attitudes towards the HP affected their interest in the subject.

Hypothesis Three (Ho3): There is no significant difference among parents, teachers and students on the

motivation to specialize in special education.

The result of hypothesis three is shown in tables 5 – 6 below.

TABLE 5: CONTINGENCY TABLE OF OBSERVED FREQUENCIES

SA A D DS TOTALParents 42 71 38 9 160Teachers 43 48 21 12 160Students 50 67 38 7 160Total 133 222 97 28 480

TABLE 6 : COMPUTED TABLE (THEORETICAL)

SA A D DS TOTALParents 44.33 74.0 32.33 9.33 160Teachers 44.33 74.0 32.33 9.33 160Students 44.33 74.0 32.33 9.33 160Total 133.0 222.0 97.0 28.0 480ø2 = 9.9185 ≡ 9.92 ; degree of freedom = 6. The table value at P (0.05) or 5% = 12.6

At 5% of ø2 for six degree of freedom is 12.6, therefore the result is not significant.

Decision: The null hypothesis is upheld. The results reveals that a total of 222 responses were

favourable to the postulation that higher remuneration would probably increase the interest in the

subject of special education.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

Findings

The study discovered the following findings:

1. The disparity between the views that strongly support the education of the PCP is not so much

from the view that sees the PCP as been unproductive.

2. The awareness of the subject of special education is still below average. It seems not to be well

understood.

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3. That financial motivation may be favourable to the increased interest in the subject but it was

not considered a very strong factor.

Discussions

The main thrust of this research work was to investigate the attitudes of the society towards the

subject of special education and the education of Physically Challenged Persons. Also discussed were

the implications of the study on the society and recommendations were made which may be helpful for

further studies.

From the review of related literature, three stages in the development of attitudes towards the

handicapped can be seen in the educational history of Nigeria. According to Thakur and Ezenne (1985),

first, during pre-Christian era, the handicapped was persecuted, neglected or murdered. Secondly,

during the spread of Christianity and Islam, the handicapped were protected and pitied. Thirdly, in

recent years, there has been a movement towards accepting the handicapped and integrating them into

the society to the fullest possible extent. Factors militating against the education of the disabled are lack

of population statistics, inadequate manpower, attitude of the society, lack of fund, non-implementation

of legislation and poor attitude of practicing teaches towards the inclusion of the special needs people in

regular schools.

Physically Challenged Persons (PCP) has not been favourably looked upon by the society, but

with the United Nations resolution, PCP is declared to have of meaningful education. This has thus

increased the awareness of special education, although the strides in this direction have not been

gigantic.

RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION

Recommendations

In view of the findings, the following recommendations were made:

1. That there is the need for the Government, the general populace and even religious bodies to

consider the necessity, usefulness and economic gain to be accrued in educating physically

challenged persons.

2. To address the inadequacy of the curriculum for special education in teacher education, schools

and regulatory authorities should organize practical hands on deck workshops and seminars to help

teachers who teach children with disabilities as well as teachers who teacher in conventional

schools where disabled children attend.

3. Conferences for Parents to eradicate attitudinal Problems should be organized annually. All

sessions should be conducted in both English (the official language of Nigeria) and other

indigenous Nigerian languages. In each conference a wide variety of topics should be covered.

Information should be presented to counteract myths, generalizations and other false beliefs that

lead to negative attitudes; techniques to be included: talks, role-play, discussions and counter-

attitudinal advocacy. There should be Counselling sessions to create avenues for intensive

discussions on parental and community involvement. A number of sessions should be led by

handicapped staff members. Their competence and professionalism will have an enormous impact

on parents. Seeing these positive `role models' will raise their expectations for their own

9

handicapped children. (Hill & Jurmang 1996 b). An enlighten citizenry can advocate, litigate and

legislate for rights.

4. Each state ministry of education should be responsible for special education programmes in its

own state; this responsibility must include planning, supervision and funding.

5. There should be maximum effort to expand special education from preschool to university level.

The Ministry of Education should mount large-scale child-find activities and make well formulated

decisions regarding screening and identification.

6. Voluntary agencies should be allowed to build their own schools in rural parts of Nigeria and other

developing countries. This will help to ease the financial and administrative burdens on federal and

state governments.

Conclusion

Disabled people need to live in a more just society which recognizes their needs and acts to

reduce or eliminate the societal harsh environments, social and physical barriers which prevent them

from participating in the welfare of the state and community. Indeed, one cannot meaningfully speak of

development in the community from the autonomous standpoint when disabled people are left out or

ignored. This is what Coleridge (1993) refers to as a dehumanizing experience. Frontline workers in

rehabilitation and integrated education ought to take into account the cultural basis of disability as an

entry point in the communities they work. Nigeria appears to have made tremendous efforts to combat

problems confronting individuals with special needs. Section 8 of the National policy on Education was

promulgated as a policy to address these needs. Despite this reform effort, special education has been

approached in amore theoretical than practical manner. While Nigeria should be credited for

recognizing and establishing a policy to help individuals with exceptionalities, this policy has not been

enacted in national law by its member of parliament.

Special education can be successful if the country focuses on: (a) developing an appropriate

philosophical foundation of education which accurately reflects the characteristics and needs of the

people; and (b) evaluating educational policies and programmes to reduce inconsistencies in programme

implementation.

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