Kerala special care centres to assist differently-abled students: Report

NEW DELHI: The Samagra Shiksha scheme of the Kerala government has set up special care centres across the state to assist differently-abled children in state schools. Many differently-abled students are not able to take part in the learning process as their peers. These special care centres are established with the objective of providing individual support apart from classroom learning so as to bridge the gap, reported the Hindu.

The Samagra Shiksha centres will provide academic support to differently-abled children. A maximum of five students can attend the special centres at once. The centres are instructed to function in the afternoon on weekdays. On Saturdays, these centres will be open from the morning.

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As many as 1,500 special care centres are established in government schools across Kerala where differently-abled students are studying. Special educators are placed in schools, but their number is very low considering the ratio towards the number of differently-abled students.

Customised learning material suited to different categories of disability will be provided at these centres for the students to access. Autism therapy is also provided through these centres. Parents are also sensitised and trained through orientation at these centres to be actively involved in the academic growth and skill development of their children.

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Recently, the Innovation by Youth with Disabilities (I-YwD) has invited applications to an internship opportunity in coordination with the National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH) and APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU), Kerala. I-YwD is a programme by the Kerala government that aims to develop the innovation potential in differently-abled youth in Kerala.