99% Special Children
Like Regular School
A nationwide study by the National Council of
Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to examine the enrolment, access and
retention of children with disabilities (CWD) has revealed that while 99 per
cent of these children liked attending regular schools, 57 per cent teachers
were not trained to understand their special needs.
The study has found that special needs of
children with mental illnesses were "neither being identified nor being
addressed seriously".
A vast majority of teachers (88.1%) could say
nothing on how to meet the special educational needs of disabled children in
their classrooms. Only 35.1% could identify the needs of students with
disabilities.
More than half of all teachers interviewed gave
no response to questions on how they included disabled children in their
day-to-day teaching.
The study evaluated the implementation of the
centrally sponsored Inclusive Education of the Disabled at the Secondary Stage
(IEDSS) scheme in 27 states and union territories at the secondary and senior
secondary levels.
At the root of the problem is state apathy and
the resultant lack of funds and training. Only 12 states have trained general
teachers in special needs, and only three of these states have offered this
training for five days or longer. Fifty-seven per cent of teachers have
received no training.
Ironically, children with disabilities expressed
a strong desire for inclusive schooling with special attention. Nearly every
student with disability (99%) liked going to school; nearly half (44.5%) said
they needed teachers to give them special attention.
Students also expressed the need for better
adapted toilets and playgrounds, indoor sports rooms and better seating
facilities. They wanted the teacher to speak louder and interact more with
them.
IEDSS aims to help disabled students —
especially girl students — to complete secondary school in an inclusive
environment. Over the past few years, enrolment levels of girls with
disabilities has fallen everywhere except in Manipur. Average enrolment in the
surveyed states and UTs fell from 43.57% in 2009-10 to 40.21% in 2012-13. In
Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu, the
enrolment of disabled girls has been consistently under 40%.
Overall
enrolment of children with disabilities has increased in 13 states and UTs; it
has fallen in three. Five states tracking dropout rates have showed an increase
in the rate.
The study
has recommended that enrolment of girls with special needs be accorded top
priority; dropout rates of these students at the elementary level be arrested;
awareness and availability of assistive aids be improved; service and
pre-service teacher training be restructured, and recruitment policies be
geared towards appointing special educators.
The study
has also suggested a more flexible curriculum with space for creative arts and
multimedia, and hostel facilities for children with severe physical
disabilities. The issuing of disability certificates should be facilitated, and
attempts made to ensure that most CWDs are enrolled in regular schools rather
than being schooled at home.
CAN, BUT
OFTEN UNABLE
CAN'T
* Read
blackboard
* Speak
* Write with
a pen
* Understand
teacher's speech
LIKE
* Friends
* Playground
* Computers
* Mid-day
meals
DISLIKE
* Holidays
* Seating
arrangements
* Toilets
* Lack of
water
NEED
* More
support from teachers
* Extra time
in class
* Ramps from
class to playground
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