By JUMOKE OLAITAN

The Federal Government says it will establish Autism Centres in the six geopolitical zones in 2027 to strengthen autism care and expand specialist training across the country.

Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, disclosed this during an engagement with stakeholders in Abuja on Wednesday.

Alausa said the centres would provide diagnosis, therapy and research services, while supporting families, healthcare professionals and educational institutions.

He said the initiative formed part of the federal government’s efforts to address the shortage of professionals in audiology, speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy.

According to him, the number of universities offering the specialised programmes has increased from four to about 16 under the ongoing reforms.

“The federal government, through the Ministry of Education is supporting this by expanding the number of institutions offering programmes in audiology, speech therapy and occupational therapy.

“We have moved from four universities to about 16 universities, but we want even more institutions to train the manpower needed to support these essential services,” he said.

The minister said the government would begin targeted interventions in 2027 to strengthen universities offering the specialised programmes.

He said the interventions would include expansion of infrastructure, provision of modern equipment and instructional materials to increase training capacity.

Alausa said many Nigerian families still travelled outside the country to seek specialised care for children with autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) due to limited local capacity.

“Today, many families still have to travel outside Nigeria to access care for their autistic children.

“?This is not acceptable, and the federal government is determined to change that,” he said.

The minister also said the Federal Ministry of Education had directed the National Board for Technical Education to fast-track the accreditation of the Federal School of Occupational Therapy and the Occupational Therapy diploma programme at the University of Benin.

He said the move would create a seamless academic pathway from diploma to bachelor’s degree and strengthen professional career development.

Alausa commended universities that had introduced the specialised programmes, describing their efforts as vital to building the workforce needed to improve care for children with developmental conditions.

He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to working with universities, regulatory agencies and professional bodies to expand specialist training, strengthen institutional capacity and promote research and innovation in autism care.

He said that the initiative, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, would improve access to quality diagnosis, therapy and inclusive education for children living with autism, ADHD and other developmental conditions. (NAN)