Pristine Foundation, in collaboration with STEAM UP Kwara—an initiative of the Office of the Special Adviser on Education to the Kwara State Governor—will on July 17, 2025, host a pilot Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) training for teachers in Ilorin.
The training, which aims to empower 100 educators across Kwara State, will take place at the Ilorin Innovation Hub.
It is expected to bolster the capacity of teachers to better serve neurodivergent learners and students with various special educational needs and disabilities.
The initiative is part of a broader effort led by Dr. Adetola Ariyike Salau, the Special Adviser on Education, Policy Formulation, and Human Capital Development to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Her office has in recent times focused on positioning Kwara as a front-runner in digital and inclusive learning, particularly through the STEAM UP Kwara programme.
Speaking ahead of the training, she said “this pilot training is only the beginning. We are building a Kwara where no learner is left behind, and every teacher is prepared to uplift even the most vulnerable students.”
Also, the founder of Pristine Foundation, Adedamola Balogun, emphasized the importance of collaborative responsibility in special education.
“Every child deserves to be seen, understood, and supported in a way that reflects their unique learning profile. This training is about equipping teachers not only with strategies but with the empathy and insight to make a lasting difference in the lives of students,” she said.
Established in 2022, Pristine Foundation is a non-profit organisation devoted to supporting the learning and development of neurodivergent children and pupils with SEND.
Since its inception, the foundation has trained over 400 educators across Nigeria, combining hands-on workshops with accessible online modules.
Earlier this year, Pristine Foundation concluded a landmark three-month programme titled Unmasking Learning Difficulties, which provided over 200 teachers with inclusive classroom strategies and certified them in best practices for managing learning differences.
Balogun, who also serves as a Curriculum Lead at a prestigious college in England and as a school governor in Manchester, brings a wealth of experience in youth work, safeguarding, and inclusive policy implementation.
Her passion for equity in education continues to inform both her advocacy and professional engagements.
