Global Autism Project, ACSI Trains Special Education Teachers

In a bid to assess, evaluate and train heads of special education, teachers and children affected by autism in Nigeria, four specialists from the Global Autism Project in New York, arrived Nigeria wednesday for a four-day programme to enhance the quality of care and education of autistic children.

The group, which is in Nigeria to train and formalise an agreement with Autism Care and Support Initiative (ACSI), on arrival in Abuja wednesday, commenced assessment and evaluation of children on the ACSI programme.

The Director of ACSI, Dr. Julia Ejiogu, who confirmed the development yesterday, said the New York-based GAP, led by the Chief Executive Officer and founder, Ms. Molly Ola Pinney, and specialist trainers, Casey Harden, Jacob Sandavoy and Crystal Thompson, would spend time training ACSI staff in Abuja and open up to people who need evaluation and diagnosis.

Ejiogu disclosed that the forum is geared towards teaching and enhancing the relationship between the organisation and what ACSI and its partners can do to improve on the performance of heads of schools especially the general education teachers who also handle special needs children.

The programme for the heads of department which has so far trained over 20 persons, comes up at ACSIs facility located at 46 Parakou Street, Wuse II, Abuja between 9-11a.m. today, would also assist schools to set up special education departments to handle children affected by autism.

The ACSI Director also said parents, guardians and people who are exposed and in contact with children affected by autism could also benefit from the programme to ensure that their wards are not exposed and properly handled.