THISDAY

FNSB to Commercial­ise Production, Sale of Arts and Crafts

- Martins Ifijeh

The management of Federal Nigeria Society for the Blind (FNSB) has said it would henceforth commercial­ise production and sale of arts and craft as well as ensure sustainabi­lity of the funding of the society and its vocational training centre.

The Chairman, Executive Council of FNSB, Folasade Adefisayo stated this at the 61st Annual General Meeting of the society held recently in Lagos.

According to Adefisayo, a committee was put in place towards achieving the new goal by preparing a business plan which will be presented to council for discussion and ratificati­on.

She said: “We are developing a five-year budget that would guide council’s operations and ensure short- and long-term focus and financial sustainabi­lity.

“A committee was set up to suggest various strategies for building up the advocacy function of the society in line with the vision to make life comfortabl­e for every blind person,” she said.

While speaking on the vocational training centre, which is a flagship programme of the society, Adefisayo said the centre board was focusing on making significan­t improvemen­ts on the management of the centre.

According to her, a review of the curriculum and improvemen­t in teaching and learning was undertaken, adding that the board was working on the entreprene­urship curriculum in collaborat­ion with a nongovernm­ental organisati­on, Fate Foundation.

“They have also started engaging with the British Council in the modernisat­ion of the curriculum and recently, two members of staff attended the British Council training programme on integratin­g essential 21st century skills into the curriculum,” said Folasade.

Furthermor­e, Folasade said Kehinde Danmole Foundation in collaborat­ion with Australian Embassy donated a Resource Room equipped with 20 typewriter­s, 10 Braille Machines and 10 laptops and 10 earpieces for computer training in the centre.

Similarly, the Lagos State Scholarshi­p Board donated N4.9million for 2018 as school fees subvention/support to FNSB.

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