Top 10 Best Special Needs (Disability) Schools In Nigeria (2024)

This article is about the top 10 best special needs (disability) schools in Nigeria currently in this year 2024. In the country today, there are many special needs schools that cater for children who despite their physical challenges, require the right education needed to pursue their dreams and aspirations with a view of actualising them just like every other person in society and we shall see which of them make the list as we proceed.

Special schools are educational facilities that cater for students who have special educational needs as a result of learning difficulties, physical disabilities or behavioural challenges. These types of schools are specially designed, staffed and resourced in order to provide appropriate special education for children with additional needs and we have listed best 10 of them below.

TOP 10 BEST SPECIAL NEEDS (DISABILITY) SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA 2024 

The following are the 10 best and most popular special needs (disability) schools in Nigeria this 2024 and their locations in no particular order:

MODUPE COLE MEMORIAL CHILDCARE AND TREATMENT HOME/SCHOOL 

Modupe Cole Memorial Child care and Treatment Home/School has been in operation since 1960 with the aim of preparing children with special needs (disabilities) to be maximally useful to themselves and also contribute their quota to the society within the scope of their ability. This is an outstanding school that caters for four hundred and sixty (460) children and adults with intellectual challenges across all levels of needs.

This special needs school is the only Special school owned by the Lagos State Government that has boarding facilities. The needs of their pupils are at the centre of what they do and they are constantly striving to develop on provision of their learners. Modupe Cole Memorial Childcare and Treatment Home/School provides the following support services:

• Home care
• Functional academics
• Vocational
• Music therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Occupational therapy
• Recreational therapy, to mention but a few.

The school is committed to making a difference in the lives of their pupils and provide high quality instruction and support services to the pupils. They are located at
1, Saint Finbarrs College Road, Pako Bus Stop, Opposite Taxi Park shared fence with Federal College of Education (Technical) Akoka, Lagos.

ROYAL SCHOOL OF EDUCATION THERAPY FOUNDATION 

Royal School of Education Therapy Foundation is another leading special needs school in Nigeria. They are a non-profit private school comprising of General Education and Special Education services for students with and without disabilities, ranging from kindergarten to high school for general education, and kindergarten to adulthood for special education.

This special needs school prepares pupils in general education for university education and pupils in special education for vocational life-long skills, and they also provide Educational Therapy and Academic Tutoring for students with learning difficulties due to academic challenges, disabilities and traumatic brain injury.

Royal School of Education Therapy Foundation provide professional Educational Therapy to “retrain the brain” to learn as students discover how they best learn. They also provide Academic Tutoring Services to impact students’ mastery of core academic concepts. It is their vision to provide their students with therapeutic, academic, cultural and social enrichment and enhanced life-skills as they are exposed to arts, sports, technology, life and environmental preservation, college preparation, and vocational skills.

They are located at Plot 194, 4461 Crescent (Abubakar Ali Gombe Street) Close to Christ Chosen Group of Schools, Citec Villa, off 4th/6th Avenue, by the Citec Gate Gwarinpa, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria.

CENTRE FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS (CCSN)

The Centre for Children with Special Needs, CCSN, Abuja, is a centre of excellence that provides quality service of International standards to children and families of people with special needs, with the sole aim of maximizing their potentials, regardless of the degree of disability. They are located at 4, Lake Chad Crescent, Off IBB Way, Maitama District, FCT, Abuja.

OPEN DOORS SPECIAL EDUCATION CENTRE

Open Doors Special Education Centre is one of the top 10 best disability schools in Nigeria that caters for individuals with intellectual disability and developmental delay. These include: Mental retardation, autism, ASD, cerebral palsy, dyslexia, Down syndrome, reading disability, dyslexia, speech and language delay, articulation disorder, learning disability. Their school curriculum is designed to develop the potential of each individual with emphasis on acquisition of basic literacy and numeracy skills, ability to communicate and development of daily living, pre-vocational and vocational skills, and they are located at Open Doors Special Education Centre, Off Liberty Boulevard in Giring, Jos, Plateau State.

ANTHOS HOUSE

Anthos House is a unique school in Nigeria that is committed to preparing their students to live lives of significance, by providing the academic and functional skills necessary. This special needs school is a community; and their students are challenged and supported by a caring group of educators, staff, parents, and the community beyond their campus.

Anthos house is a place that celebrates the individualism of the student in a nurturing environment with an integrated curriculum, personalized attention, and therapies that support each child on their learning journey. Students at Anthos House discover who they are through a variety of programmes and therapies that help them to grow and blossom.

The core purpose of Anthos House is to deliver broad, balanced and relevant learning programmes to their learners, which takes into account each child’s unique needs and abilities. Anthos house is located at 1, Platinum Way, Osapa London, Opposite Jakande First Gate, Lekki Phase II, Lagos.

PATRICK SPEECH AND LANGUAGES CENTRE

Patrick Speech and Languages Centre (PSLC) is a Centre where individuals living with Autism and other related developmental disorders are given opportunities by identifying their needs and supporting their individual strengths using evidence-based methods in achieving their full potentials. They are located at 13B Remi-Fanikayode Street, GRA Ikeja, Lagos.

BENOLA CEREBRAL PALSY INITIATIVE

The Benola Cerebral Palsy Initiative was established in 2003, and it is a Non-Government Organisation (NGO) committed to using their experience to help parents raise their children with disabilities in the most comfortable learning environment. They are focused on professionally networking families, friends, healthcare professionals, caregivers and educators in order to keep them abreast of current trends and better management options for Cerebral Palsy.

This NGO is also committed to change and progress for persons living with Cerebral Palsy. They strive for their inclusion into society in order to ensure that they and those who care for them live the best possible lives under the peculiar circumstances in which they find themselves.

They achieve this objective through forward-thinking programmes such as information and referral services, capacity building, advocacy, and research designed to help those living with Cerebral Palsy, find ways to better cope with their unique circumstances. Benola Cerebral Palsy Initiative is located at Suite 19/20, Praise Plaza, Ajah/Ado Road, Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria
P.O. Box 74952, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

C.A.D.E.T. ACADEMY

Comprehensive Autism and Related Disabilities Education and Training Academy, often shortened as C.A.D.E.T Academy, is a research-and evidence-based special needs education and learning programme located in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, but serves a global community. The acronym C.A.D.E.T. signifies the type of beautiful transformation envisaged for children, almost akin to what is found in a military academy. The C.A.D.E.T. Academy adopts either an inclusive or intensive one-on-one approach, under a loving atmosphere, and applies research-based and evidence-based educational procedures to exchange undesirable habits and behaviour with acceptable and desirable ones. In addition, pre-academic skills, play, social skills and language skills are also employed in transforming the children and preparing them to reach their full potentials. This academy is located at 3, Kyari Mohammed Crescent, off Justice Sowemimo Street, Asokoro, Abuja, Nigeria.

ALDERSTOWN SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF

The Alderstown School for the Deaf was established in 1954, and it is a Special Basic Education Institution along Skinn Road in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria. The school is a specialist primary school for children aged 4-12 or more who are deaf or suffer from hearing and speech difficulties.

START RIGHT CONSULTING 

Start Right Centre started out in 2007 and through its learning programmes has been putting smiles on the faces of parents, seeing their children responding and improving in all aspects. Their programme integrates interactive play activities, physical (sensory and motor) activities with effective educational and behavioural method using individualized curriculum. This programme has brought about positive changes in the children at the centre .

Start Right Consulting specializes in catering for children who have traits of autism, attention deficit and other learning difficulties. The centre also focuses on building the strength of children and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD), Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), gifted and talented learners, Social Emotional and Behavioural difficulties (SEBDs), speech and language delay. They are located at 24, Ayinde Giwa Street, Masha, Surulere, Lagos.