Cracked pavements, narrow doorways, and staircases with no railings: these are the daily realities for students with disabilities trying to move through the University of Jos. The university's hostels and classrooms present serious barriers that make independent living and learning difficult, if not impossible, for this group of students.
The problems are not minor inconveniences. When the spaces where you sleep, study, and simply exist are not built with you in mind, the message is loud and clear, even if unintentional. Students with disabilities at UNIJOS are navigating an environment that was designed without them in the picture.
Higher education is meant to be a leveller, a place where talent and hard work open doors. But when the doors themselves are too narrow for a wheelchair, or the hostel block has no accessible bathroom, the promise of equal opportunity rings hollow. What changes are students and advocates pushing for, and is the university listening?
Originally published by Premium Times.