BHUBANESWAR: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday said it has been a challenge for the government to include children with special needs into mainstream education.
Pradhan made the remark in Parliament while replying to a question posed by MP Aparajita Sarangi on the education of such children and on special educators.
“A lot of emphasis is being given on inclusive education and education of children with special needs in the National Education Policy. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we tried our best to provide education through virtual mode to children. But how education will reach children with special needs is a new challenge. Experts are working on it. I seek suggestions from all to prepare a strategy to ensure education for such children who comprise around 10% of the children’s population,” Pradhan added.
Sarangi had said in India, only 0.5% to 0.6% specially-abled children have been brought under the school system.
“Is there a road map or a plan of action of the Centre to identify and bring all children with special needs to the fold of school education?” the MP had asked.
She had added, “In order to address the issues of learning disabilities among special children, we need to have a huge number of special educators across the country. Unfortunately, the Rehabilitation Council of India has recognised very few institutes to impart special education training and raise a big pool of special educators.”
“Though a number of policies and schemes are being formulated for kids and adults with special abilities, due to lack of proper implementation, their benefits are not reaching the needy. The government must ensure that the policies reach the beneficiaries,” said noted disability rights campaigner Sruti Mohapatra.
