Puducherry Govt School Begins Special Classes For Differently-Abled Children, Focuses On Equal Opportunities

The school management has arranged specific provisions for speech therapy, sensory physiotherapy, and inclusive footwork for mentally challenged, speech-impaired and hearing-impaired children.

A government middle school in Puducherry’s Laspettai has begun special classes for differently-abled children from classes 1-5 under the inclusive education programme of the New Education Policy. It is the first such initiative at a government school in India focusing on equal opportunities for education and learning.

According to The Print, the school management has also arranged specific provisions for speech therapy, sensory physiotherapy, and inclusive footwork for mentally challenged, speech-impaired and hearing-impaired children. Some special teachers providing thoughtful and personalised instructions to children have been appointed to impart valuable education to specially-abled children.

Workshops & Training Sessions For Parents

According to Bhaskaran, the school headmaster, to implement the new education policy, 15 students have been enrolled as a part of inclusive education. The government will undertake steps to provide speech therapy, sensory physiotherapy and inclusive footwork.

Puducherry also has other special schools that offered assistance even during the pandemic. Chitra Shah, director of the school, said some parents were panic-stricken during the pandemic, and some even had suicidal thoughts since they did not know how to handle the child alone all day.

The school is training parents who have been made co-therapists of their children and are also made to attend several workshops and training sessions to handle their child.

Similar Initiative In Other States

Other states had earlier taken initiatives to help foster education for children with disabilities as a part of the inclusive education programme.

In Uttar Pradesh, over 1000 children suffering from severe multiple disabilities and those who are entirely dependent on home-based education for their academic development are provided with learning aids.

Article Credits: The Logical Indian