Koiki Harps on Inclusion Across Nigerian Schools, ,
Uchechukwu Nnaike
The Executive Director of Greensprings School, Mrs. Lai Koiki, has highlighted the growing demand for inclusion across Nigerian schools, as well as the urgency of equipping schools with the right professional expertise, resources, and training to meet the expanding need.
She stated this in a paper, ‘Inclusive Education in Nigeria: Progress, Challenges and the Road Ahead’, presented at the recently concluded World Inclusion Congress, held in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
She emphasised that the impact of inclusion extends far beyond academics, adding that the meaningful social interactions and friendships formed between neurotypical and neurodivergent learners have fostered empathy, understanding, and a genuine sense of community, shaping a generation that truly embodies the spirit of inclusion.
Koiki shared Greensprings School’s remarkable journey towards inclusion, a journey that began at a time when special needs education was still an unfamiliar territory in Nigeria. She recounted how the school took deliberate steps to identify and support learners struggling within the traditional mainstream system by engaging the services of credible external assessment centres and investing in staff training.
Over the years, she said that the efforts evolved into a well-structured inclusion model through a multidisciplinary Learning Support Department, a whole-school approach, and the establishment of an assessment centre led by a team of dedicated psychologists that today support a wide range of learners through assessments, differentiated instruction, therapy support, and specialised interventions.
Koiki reflected on the profound impact of inclusion on both learners and their families. She recounted how, over the years, neurodivergent learners who were once kept at home and hidden from the public eye have found belonging, purpose, and hope within the inclusive environment of Greensprings School.
She described how witnessing the joy and renewed optimism in parents’ eyes remains one of her most fulfilling experiences.
She also shared the remarkable story of a neurodivergent learner who, after years of consistent support and perseverance, graduated from college at the age of 35 with honour, a milestone that powerfully illustrates what is possible when schools create safe and nurturing spaces where all learners can thrive.
She called on professionals present at the congress to collaborate with Nigerian educators through capacity-building programmes, mentorship, and exchange initiatives that can strengthen inclusive practice across the country.
, Education – THISDAYLIVE, November 19, 2025, 8:52 am
