‘Some Parents Of Special Needs Children See Them As Never Do Wells’

Dr. Mrs Shareefah Ajoke Yusuf, director of Education in Lagos State in this interview with The Eagle Correspondent speaks about her experience, especially in handling special children

BY YUSUF AISHA ADEPEJU

For the benefit of our readers who do not know you well, could you please provide an overview of yourself.

I am Dr. Mrs Shareefah Ajoke Yusuf, A Director of Education in Lagos State and also the Principal of states Junior Grammar school special, Surulere Lagos.

How has it been teaching at this level of education and for the number of years you have done it? Have you always been at a Special School

I have never for once taught in a special school. What happened was that in 2014, I was transferred from a regular school where there were no special children to the special school.

On getting there, and I realised it was a special school; I ran back to the District to tell them I didn’t have any experience with special education but the District insisted that I must go back there, and since I have been here.

I have been there from 2014 and became Vice Principal in 2017. Till date,  I am the principal of the school. The only thing I did was that in 2016, I attended a crash program at the University of Ibadan on how to take care of people with special needs.

The special children during an exhibition of their works

It is obvious that it is a unique field; what peculiar challenges have you faced on the job?

The challenges are many. The first one is the fact that the children are special and sometimes, their parents are not adequately equipped to handle them. Some see these children as never do well – people who can never make it in life. Because of this, they are not so concerned not only about their academics, about their total well-being.

So, when I have parents who are concerned about their special children, that means that a vacuum has been created. It means that the cooperation I need from the parents for us to work together for the total upbringing of these children is no more there since they feel that they can never make it in life. That is a major challenge which I face as the principal of the school.

So, thus far, how are you coping with it?

Well, I am trying on my own. What I now do is to leverage on our benefactors; those who are trying as much as possible to assist us in our day to day activities in the school.

What important lessons would you say you have learnt teaching in the special school?

I have learnt so many lessons. I have known people more, I have learnt more about care-giving for Learners with special needs. I have come to realise that there is a particular skill that has been deposited in the children despite their challenges and it is those talents and skills that we are trying to identify and promote.

Some people complain about teaching in public schools generally in terms of poor pay, poor infrastructure and all that; how are you able to cope?

There is no problem; it depends on your passion. If you are a very passionate lover of your job, you don’t mind whatever challenge comes your way. So, I don’t see what people see as challenge as challenge; I see it as encouragement, motivation to make me to continue to move ahead.

In terms of salary being paid is it convenient for you?

Ah! Well, I am there already and I am managing. I thank God for everything, I would say I’m okay. At least, I can feed myself and my family to some extent as long as I am not the greedy type.

What advice do you have for parents of the special children?

Dr. Mrs Shareefah Ajoke Yusuf, left with an official at an event

My advice is for them to cooperate with the school by giving their children the best. They are so blessed to have this school in Lagos a place of residence. They should try as much as possible to cooperate with the government and the schools that are really ready for the progress of their children.

 What about other people generally, what advice do you have for them?

My advice is for them to empathise with Learners with special needs; put them in your shoes, don’t sympathise with them but empathise with them.

Thank you very much ma for sparing part of your special time in the midst of tight schedule.

You are welcome