FRUSTRATED: Pathetic stories of visually-impaired applicants denied admission by UNILAG because of Maths
Pathetic stories of visually-impaired
applicants denied admission by UNILAG
because of Maths
We’ve always been fair to physically
challenged applicants –UNILAG
Controversy over ability of visually-
impaired to pass Maths
Of all the subjects that are taught from
primary level to tertiary institution,
Mathematics is obviously the most dreaded by
students. This obviously accounts for the poor
performance of candidates in the subject,
especially in results released by the West
African Examination Council (WAEC) and
National Examination Council (NECO) over the
years. If this is the situation with candidates
who have no problem with the sight, what
would be the fate of the visually impaired
candidates? INNOCENT DURU in this report
digs into the challenges of the visually
impaired students in studying Mathematics
and the allegation of some of them that they
were denied admission by the University of
Lagos (UNILAG) for not having credit pass in
the subject.
Olawoyin Damilola David, a visually impaired
young man, is very sad. He is sad not because
he has challenges with his sight but because
his ambition of acquiring university education
is currently about being dashed. Before he
attempted and scored 220 in the recently
released Joint Admission and Matriculation
Board (JAMB) examination, he had attempted
the examination twice without success. In
his first attempt, he scored below 200 and the
second time he tried, the result was not
released because “ I registered twice- in
Delta State and Lagos State. I registered in
Delta but I had nobody to stay with over
there, I came back to Lagos State to buy
another form. When they announced that the
results had been released, I checked but mine
wasn’t there. That was why my poor mother,
a widow for that matter, went everywhere
she could to borrow money to buy another
form for me because she doesn’t want me to
be a liability in the society.
“After I succeeded in passing JAMB the third
time, I was wrapped in excitement, jumped as
high as I could and punched the air repeatedly
in exhilaration because I thought I had
surmounted the hurdle that stood between me
and my dream of having university education.
I applied to study Mass Communication in
UNILAG and was already having a mental
picture of myself broadcasting in the studio.”
When the list of admitted applicants was
released by the institution, Damilola
confidently strolled to the school with the aim
of seeing his name on the admission list but
what he saw jolted him. His name was
conspicuously missing and his sweet dream and
ambition put on the line.
He was, however, not alone as a number of his
colleagues had a similar problem.
“When we tried to know why we were not
given admission, they told us that we didn’t
meet their requirement of having credit pass
in Mathematics. The reason was strange to us
because visually impaired students don’t write
Mathematics in WAEC examination. When I
sat for WAEC IN 2012 in Ogun State, the
officials specifically asked us (visually
impaired) candidates not to write
Mathematics. They said the results would not
be released if we should do it.
“ Actually, it is difficult if not impossible for
a visually impaired person to have credit pass
in the subject. It is questionable if any does
because even for sighted students,
Mathematics is a nightmare. It is visually
impaired candidates that are assisted that
can come out with credit pass in the subject.
“As I am talking to you right now, my
frustration level is in the danger of reading
zero. As visually impaired persons trying go to
higher institution, we are only trying to be
relevant in the society and should be
encouraged by the institution instead of all
the discouragement we are getting. My pain is
aggravated by the mood of my wretched
mother. She was very happy when I passed
JAMB hoping that her efforts had paid off.
She has been very sick since I told her that I
was not admitted by the school. ”
Samuel Dabiri Oluwaseun, 23, is another
visually impaired applicant that was allegedly
denied admission by the institution for not
having credit pass in Mathematics.
Unlike Damilola, who has a poor widow running
around for his well being, Dabiri has nobody to
ask for help. He told The Nation that his
parents had separated and that he lives at
the mercy of kind- hearted Nigerians.
“Everything about me is sponsored, including
the shoes I am wearing.”
Like Damilola, he had unsuccessfully attempted
JAMB on two occasions, scoring 151 and 181
respectively. In his avowed commitment to
achieve his dream of going to the university,
he got help to obtain the form the third time
and fortunately for him, he passed, scoring
226.
With tears running down his eyes, Dabiri said:
“After achieving my dream of passing JAMB, I
became optimistic that my ambition of
studying Sociology in UNILAG was certain. My
joy was further boosted when somebody
volunteered to foot my bills in the university.
My file has been treated and only waiting for
my admission letter as a confirmation that the
institution actually admitted me. Now, that
help is almost slipping off my hand. One thing
with people like us is that helpers don’t often
come. When they come and you don’t make
good use of it immediately, they may not be
available again tomorrow.
“I am shocked that the institution could for
any reasons discriminate against people like
us. We learnt that they admitted about 5,000
sighted candidates and admitted six out of the
27 visually impaired that applied to the
institution. We even heard that some sighted
applicants who scored below what we scored
were admitted by the institution. Why on
earth would they do that? This is injustice
and there is an urgent need by the
government to intervene in this matter. If
every institution should be meting out the
same treatment to people like us, what would
be our fate? Do they want us to take to the
street and start begging for alms?’’
Dabiri’s colleague, Kalu Joseph scored 218 in
his JAMB examination and looked forward to
studying Christian Religious Studies (CRS)
education in UNILAG but was not admitted
because he doesn’t have credit pass in
Mathematics.
“It was shocking to learn that I was denied
admission because I don’t have credit pass in
Mathematics. I think it is just an
afterthought, and a deliberate attempt to
scheme us out. The subject is not easy for the
visually impaired to learn. The facilities are
not there. We are aware that they have been
waiving it for our colleagues over the years
because they know it is a herculean task for
people like us to pass it. They have brought
untold sorrow to my life and aggravated my
unpleasant condition as a virtually impaired
person,” he said.
Lukman Olalekan and Abiodun Lateef Alabi,
from Osun and Oyo states respectively, also
lamented their plight.
Lukman said: “As a visually impaired person, I
have always not supported the idea of begging
for alms. This is why I am giving my all to
acquire university education. Unfortunately,
UNILAG is out to jeopardize my ambition and
that of my colleagues. I scored 211 in JAMB
and that is no mean feat for somebody
without sight. My colleagues and I who scored
above 200 in JAMB deserve some commendation
and no condemnation because many sighted
candidates didn’t score as much as that. This
alone is enough for the institution to admit
us without stress. If I am eventually denied
the admission and not allowed to achieve my
ambition, I would be forced to take to begging
to survive. Right now, going to school remains
my only hope of having gainful employment and
not having to be a liability on anybody.”
Lateef also expressed disappointment over the
development, saying: “It is unbelievable that
the institution would add another form of
darkness to our condition. The government
should look into this and make sure we are not
denied the opportunity of achieving our
ambition in life.”
Applicants with Mathematics also allege they
were not admitted
While the visually impaired applicants that
were allegedly denied admission for not having
credit pass in Mathematics are yet to come to
terms with the fate that has befallen them, it
was shocking to also find that those who had
credit pass in the subject were also allegedly
not given admission by the institution.
The victims told our correspondent that the
institution authorities said they were not
admitted because their subject combination in
JAMB was not correct.
24 year-old Awiri Christian said he has credit
pass in Mathematics and scored 223 in JAMB
but was shocked that he was not admitted.
“It came to me as a serious shock because I
met all the requirements. Their claim that my
subject combination was wrong was frivolous.
I wrote English Language, Government,
Literature and CRS in JAMB. I didn’t just
choose those subjects because I could pass
them. I carefully studied the brochure before
I selected those subjects when I was filling my
JAMB form. I scored 223 in JAMB. I wanted to
study Political Science and I am sure that
those combinations are apt for the course.
Besides, we don’t just do anything without
consulting with the leadership of our
association, especially those in the various
institutions we are applying for admission.
In fact, our colleagues who are studying the
same course in the institution presently used
the same subject combination to gain
admission into the school.”
Like others, Christian had sat for JAMB on
two occasions without making success out of
them.
“ My frustration is that this is the first time
I have passed JAMB in the last three years. In
my first attempt, my results were not fully
released making me to score below 200. They
released three out of four subjects and after
waiting to see if they would release the last
one, they eventually removed the previously
released result and wrote ‘absent’ there.
“If I didn’t give up at that point and through
dint of hard work and God’s favour I
succeeded in my third attempt, why would the
institution deny me admission for no genuine
reasons? If I end up not being admitted
with my score in JAMB, it means I would go
back to square one. I would have to go back
to writing JAMB all over and now that my
morale is abysmally low, how would I
concentrate and pass? If I pass again, how
am I sure I would get admission? The
treatment is unfair,” he stated in emotion
laden voice.
Mustafa Yusuf Olagoke also has credit pass in
Mathematics but allegedly not also admitted by
the institution.
“I have credit pass in Mathematics and also
scored 230 in JAMB. With the results, I was
convinced that I would get admission into the
school to study Political Science All the
excuses that some people don’t have credit
pass in Mathematics and that some of us did
the wrong subject combinations are cooked
up. This was not the practice in the
institution over the years that we have been
following the admission process.
“I have broken every barrier in my
determination to acquire higher education but
the UNILAG authorities have placed artificial
barrier on my path. It is unfortunate. I did
the right subject combinations. Our
association in the institution even called to
discuss the appropriate subject combinations
with us before we filled the forms.
“Before now, the immediate past admission
officer, late Mrs Adare, would make sure that
every visually impaired applicant that scored
above 200 was given admission. What she was
always doing was to invite the candidates to
verify their results and confirm that they are
actually visually impaired. Once she did that,
the applicants would be taken.”
Narrating the effect of the development on
him, Mustafa said: “ I have been feeling
terribly bad since I got this information. I am
a music lover and supposed to be playing my
musical instruments before I was asked to
come and talk to you but I was in my room
crying and wondering what would become of
my life if I eventually don’t get this
admission. My parents are equally traumatized
because their joy of living to see me acquire
university education is under serious threat.
“Christian and I went to secondary school
using the scholarship provided for us by people
who appreciated our love for music. After we
finished secondary school, we had nowhere to
go again. Fortunately for us, mummy (the
proprietress of Bethesda Home for the Blind)
picked us up and has been taking care of us
since them.”
In a chat with The Nation, the proprietress of
the vocational centre, Mrs Chioma Ohakwe,
said: “ Denying the applicants admission by
the university is a painful. It is difficult for
the visually impaired to write Mathematics.
Nigeria does not have the technology that can
enable them to learn and perform well in
Mathematics. Before now, visually impaired
persons could not operate computer but with
the development of a software called Job
Access With Speech (JAWS), they can now do
that. The software reads out everything on
the computer for them.
“For the past three years, they have been
admitting our students, they always waived
Mathematics for them because they know what
it entails. Eight of our students that applied
to University of Nigeria, Nsukka and three
others that applied to Nnamdi Azikiwe
University (UNIZIK) have been admitted. They
saw their conditions and showed compassion to
them by waiving Mathematics.
‘’The issue of subject combinations is also out
of it. The management of the institution
should do something about this because most
of these children are orphans. They depend on
kind-hearted people to sponsor them. If the
opportunity is lost, they may have to wait for
a very long time before they would get
another.’’
Why many visually impaired shun Mathematics
Findings revealed that most visually impaired
students who attend public schools across the
country don’t get good attention from
Mathematics teachers. State-owned schools
are said to be highly culpable in this regard as
they lack the basic facilities and resource
persons needed to impact knowledge of
Mathematics into the students.
Reliving his experience with Mathematics in
public school, Dabiri said: “I didn’t do
Mathematics in my Senior Secondary School
Examination (SSCE) because all through the
years I spent in school, the Mathematics
teachers saw us as a surplus to the class.
They would come to the class, go straight to
the board and start writing. After writing,
they would ask the class to look up and briefly
explain what they must have written.
“Thereafter, they would ask if we understood.
The sighted ones would say yes sir, while we
would keep quiet. When I saw that it was
beyond me to go along with the subject, I
decided to focus my attention on other
subjects. Most public schools don’t have any
facility and human resources to help visually
impaired to learn Mathematics. For good part
of my days in the secondary school, we didn’t
have Mathematics teachers.”
Kalu on his part said: “I didn’t bother to sit
for Mathematics examination when I did my
SSCE because I didn’t do it in secondary
school. I had my secondary school in a public
school in Abia State and I must say that the
attitude of the Mathematics teachers were
not helpful. I was only listening to what they
were teaching without understanding what
was being taught. Mathematics is a practical
subject and there was no way I could have
understood it by just listening to the teacher
teach me the subject like somebody telling a
story.’’
Mustafa told our correspondent that he
wouldn’t have made credit pass in
mathematics if he did not leave a state-owned
school for a federal government one. He said:
“ I went to a public school for my junior
secondary education. There, the Mathematics
teachers never bothered about us -the
visually impaired. They were teaching the
class as if we were all sighted. This made me
to leave the school for a federal government
secondary school. In the federal government
schools, the Mathematics teachers gave good
attention to the visually impaired. They have
provided us with Braille, Maths frame board
and other basic tools that aided our learning.
“The challenge we had to deal with was with
construction. It is impossible for a visually
impaired person to do construction. We
always leave out construction questions in
WAEC examinations. All we do is to indicate
that we are visually impaired.
Controversy over ability of visually impaired
to get credit pass in examination
Controversy has, however, trailed the ability
of the visually impaired to pass Mathematics
at credit level.
An educationist, who simply identified himself
as Dr Ben, said it is practically impossible for
them to pass Mathematics. He insisted that
any visually impaired person that passes the
subject must have been assisted to do so.
“Let us face the reality, it is impossible for
visually impaired persons to get credit pass in
Mathematics. Where is the basic tool they
need to attempt the examination? These
people respond to things they could hear or
touch. To start with, they need a talking
scientific calculator to solve a number of the
questions. This is not anywhere around their
reach. They have no tool to draw and identify
shapes. So tell me how they end up passing.
“We, as a country do not yet have what it
takes to impact Mathematical knowledge to
the bind. The teachers do not also have the
capacity to teach these children effectively.
They are only trying but their efforts in all
honesty is not enough. The implication here is
that when such students who claimed to have
passed Mathematics get to higher institution,
they would not be exempted from taking
courses related to the subject because they
have proven that they know it. this can lead
to rustication.”
Mr Olufemi, a visually impaired ICT expert,
also shared Dr Ben’s line of thought. He said:
“ Visually impaired cannot pass Mathematics
because we lack the equipment and human
resources to do that. It is only when all these
are put in place that visually impaired persons
can attempt to do well in Mathematics. I even
had a friend who because he came from a rich
home had all the necessary tools but when he
sat for WAEC, the best he could get was
ordinary pass. Visually impaired persons who
score credit pass in the subject must have
been assisted.”
Abiodun, a Mathematics teacher in one of
the federal government secondary schools in
Lagos State, however, says it is not
impossible for visually impaired to pass
Mathematics at credit level.
“It is not impossible. The only challenge here
in our school is that the visually impaired have
been merged with the sighted. This makes it
difficult if not impossible to give the
necessary attention to the visually impaired.
In the past, we had special classes for visually
impaired and had all the time in this world to
come to their level. One could sit beside them
and explain things one after the other. When
you teach, they would be using their Braille to
write.
“When they want to write the answers for
you to mark, they would type everything out
in words. They have no ability to work out the
calculations. They only can use their computer
to type everything out in words. Their
challenge is in the area of drawing tables and
curves. This is pretty difficult for now.’’
Reacting to the controversy, Mrs Jean Obi,
the leader of Nigerwives and former test
developer for WAEC, said it is difficult for
visually impaired to pass Mathematics but not
impossible.
“ The problem is mainly in the area of drawing
diagrams and calculations. Fortunately we
have produced a drawing board called tactile.
It makes it possible for a teacher to draw a
diagram and make the visually impaired
students feel what it looks like. When this is
done, they would have a mental picture of
what such a diagram looks like and can draw
it later on their own. We have sent about 50
of these boards to our organization in Abuja.
“In the area of calculation, the problem is
that they would need talking scientific
calculators. This is very expensive. We are
still looking at how we can get them cheaper
for students in the country. you can scribble
and do calculations for sighted students but
you can’t do that for the visually impaired.”
Sharing her experience from an international
workshop she attended in Campala, Mrs Obi
said: “ During the workshop, we the
participants exchanged ideas about the
challenges involved in teaching Mathematics to
the visually impaired. Participants from
Kenya made us to understand that visually
impaired students were used to not taking
Mathematics lessons. But in the last four to
five years, their government said every
student in the country must be given equal
opportunity in the area of education. They
provided the necessary tools and an enabling
environment and made it compulsory for every
visually impaired student o take the subject.
We can also do the same here in Nigeria with
the support of the government, the teachers,
students and other stakeholders.
“The workshops we have also done across the
country show that a good number of the
teachers are not competent to teach these
children. You can’t teach what you don’t
have. Another challenge is that the number of
students in most classes are too large. There
are about 60 to 70 in some classes. This makes
it impossible for a teacher to teach
effectively. I must give kudos to the Lagos
State government for their efforts in giving
quality education to the visually impaired.
They really stand out. we would want other
states to emulate them.
UNILAG reacts
The authorities of UNILAG have, however,
denied the allegations levelled against them by
the applicants.
The Deputy Registrar Information, Mr Oke
Olagoke, said: “ We admit based on the
vacancies we have. At present, we have 32, 00
applicants out of which only 4, 800 would be
admitted. We always admit everybody that
meets our requirements and those of JAMB.
Besides, we have a policy to always encourage
physically challenged that meet our
requirements. We give specific assistance to
them in the areas of accommodation and
Braille writing.”
On the allegation of scheming out the
candidates on the ground of wrong subject
combinations, he said: “ Whatever we are
doing is in consonance with JAMB brochure. A
candidate needs to study the brochure very
well and not assume that what university A
accepts would be accepted by B. I will advise
that such candidates bring their documents
for us to verify their claims.”
Private school owners versus WAEC
In another development, some private school
operators have accused WAEC of not always
bringing examination papers for visually
impaired during public examinations. This
lends credence to Damilola’s claim that he and
his colleagues were not allowed to sit for
Mathematics by the officials when he sat for
SSCE, although he said that he wrote the
examination in a public school.
“WAEC doesn’t bring question papers for
visually impaired students that write exams in
our school. Anyday the students are to write
Mathematics in WAEC exams, visually impaired
students don’t come because there is a
precedent by the examination body that it is
not meant for them. For us, it is quite
understandable because of their condition,”
Mrs Abu, a school proprietor, said.
Reacting to the allegation, Mr Demianus
Ojijeogu, the Public Affairs Officer of WAEC,
said: “ It is not true that we don’t supply
materials for visually impaired candidates to
write Mathematics in our exams. We have a
special unit that caters for all the needs of
disable candidates. Over the years, we
observed that blind candidates don’t offer
Mathematics and they don’t do science
practicals in the WASSCE. This was out of
their own choice and not because provisions
were not made for them by us.
”But this year, a total of 199 visually
impaired candidates sat for Mathematics and a
certain percentage scored credit pass. We
make Braille available for them and during
exams, if sighted candidates are given one
hour, they would be given extra 30 minutes or
more. We also make provisions for albinos too.
We have factored all this into our
preparations for the exams. We don’t leave
anything to chance. We treat them specially.’’
