Management of Special Education Programmes for Learners with Visual Impairment in Oyo State

This study evaluates the management of special education programmes for learners with visual impairment in Oyo State, South West Nigeria. Learners with visual impairment face unique educational challenges that require specialised instructional approaches, adapted materials, and trained personnel. In Oyo State, the management of public special schools and integrated programmes serving this population has not been rigorously assessed in recent years, creating gaps in understanding of provision quality and effectiveness. A descriptive survey design was used, collecting data from 20 special education school administrators, 60 teachers of the visually impaired, and 100 learners with visual impairment and their parents across five special schools and eight integrated secondary schools in Ibadan, Ogbomosho, and Oyo. Management dimensions assessed include staffing adequacy, adapted resource availability, teacher qualification in visual impairment education, and programme monitoring quality. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were applied. Results reveal significant shortfalls in Braille resource availability, qualified teacher deployment, and programme monitoring frequency. Only 35 percent of teachers in integrated settings held any qualification in visual impairment education. The study concludes that special education programme management for learners with visual impairment in Oyo State requires urgent strengthening across all assessed dimensions. It recommends that the Oyo State Ministry of Education establish a dedicated special education inspectorate unit and develop a resource procurement plan specifically for Braille and audio learning materials.

Keywords: special education, visual impairment, programme management, Oyo State, inclusive education.