Overcoming Destitution through Literacy: A Case of the Disabled Persons' Literacy Programme in Kano State, Nigeria

This paper describes an experimental literacy programme for the disabled, set up in Kano (1), Nigeria between 1989 and 1990. The programme's objective was to help the destitutes to overcome some of their socio-economic drawbacks. The pro gramme took off with the enrolment of 450 people. At the end of the programme, 380 participants or 84.4% sat for and passed the qualifying examination. As expected, 70 people from among the neo-literates found jobs in the Civil Service bureaucracy, while 250 or 55.5% were able to continue their education in the post literacy programmes organised by the State Agency for Mass Education. However, the lack of funds, inadequate professional preparation of the instructors, and discontinuity of the programme limited its potentially wider impact. It is therefore advocated that multi-lateral and international donor bodies such as the British Council, UNICEF and UNDP should provide fiscal assistance to such programmes, in order to create a basis for promoting greater global equity. Journal of Social Development in Africa Vol 15 No 1 2000, pp. 15-2