Jammu & Kashmir schools open to differently-abled children More than 24,000 children have been enrolled

Not only the government, but various Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) are also helping in the upliftment of the disabled children.

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More than 24,000 children with special needs have been enrolled in government schools in the Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir (North) and the state government is also making efforts to convert all existing schools differently-abled friendly.

Over 24,000 children with special needs (CWSN) have been enrolled in schools run by the government and instructions by the state have been issued to make all the existing schools disabled-friendly in Jammu & Kashmir.

“As many as 30,237 CWSN have been identified during 2015-16 and out of them, 24,363 have been enrolled in government schools. Instructions have been conveyed to school education department and higher education department from time to time to make all the public buildings including schools, colleges and universities disabled-friendly,” said Sajjad Ghani Lone, social welfare minister, Srinagar.

Along with these, 59 girls under CWSN have also been enrolled in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidalaya (a girls school) operating in the state.

According to the minister, access to home-based education is also being provided to CWSN besides the regular schooling, by resource teachers engaged under Sarva Shikasha Abhiyan.

Sarva Shikasha Abhiyan (SSA) is Government of India’s flagship programme for achievement of Universalisation of Elementary Education (UEE) in a time bound manner, making free and compulsory education to the Children of 6-14 years age group, a fundamental right.

Not only the government, but various Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) are also helping in the upliftment of the disabled children. Nearly 18 schools for differently-abled children functioning in the state are run by different NGOs.

To contribute for the security of students falling under the CWSN category, the government established a residential school for blind students at Roop Nagar in Jammu with an intake capacity of 25 inmates.

A composite regional centre has also been established at Srinagar by the union ministry of social justice and empowerment for special education of people with disabilities.

Source : Media Indian Group , 24th June 2016