A Nigerian nurse living with visual impairment has accused the Federal Neuropsychiatric School, Enugu, of discriminatory treatment during its entrance examination, claiming the school failed to provide reasonable accommodations she had requested months in advance.
In a video obtained by SaharaReporters on Monday, the nurse recounted how she was humiliated and abandoned by school officials despite informing them of her condition. She was diagnosed with Optic Nerve Atrophy in October 2024, a degenerative condition that severely affects vision.
“I am a registered nurse licensed in 2022 and have been practising since then. In 2025, I chose to specialise in Mental Health Nursing, a field I am passionate about,” she said. After purchasing the admission form, she notified school authorities through the Students’ Union Government (SUG) president that she would need assistance during the exam, proposing three possible accommodations: larger font for the questions, an examiner to read the questions aloud, or extra time.
Despite reminders, no support was provided on exam day. She arrived at 7:00 a.m. for an 8:00 a.m. exam, but accreditation began at 10:00 a.m., and the exam did not start until 5:00 p.m. During the test, her requests were ignored, and when she sought help from an examiner, she said she was met with a condescending response: “If you knew you were not able to read, why did you come to school?”
She was later directed to meet the Provost and offered her medical report, but was told no accommodations could be made. The Provost allegedly instructed her to answer only the questions she could see, a directive she described as cruel and unprofessional.
Despite the experience, the nurse said her passion for mental health remains undiminished, and she is seeking admission into another institution that will accommodate persons with disabilities. Efforts to reach the Federal Neuropsychiatric School, Enugu, for comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing.
