News

Volume 4 Issue 9 - May 01, 2006

N.C.E.R.T.’s Action Plan for ‘School for All’

DNIS News Network - In yet another step to include disabled people in the mainstream, the National Focus Group on Special Needs education, an institute formed by National Council of Education Research and Training (N.C.E.R.T.), is preparing an elaborate action plan to streamline the education system to accommodate thousands of disabled children across the country. The concept has been named ‘School for All’. This project is in its final stages and would shortly be sent to the Ministry of Human Resource Development and N.C.E.R.T. authorities for their final approval.

The action plan under the programme focuses on the need to train pre-service and in-service teachers. According to Prof. Neerja Shukla, Member Secretary of the Group, training of teachers would comprise learning sign language; methods to teach children with visual impairment; ways to handle the resource material like wheelchairs, cane and audio equipment. The plan also aims to develop the perspective skills in administration, mobilise special schools as resource centres and involve parents and community at large for the development of the children with disability.

Special efforts would be made to develop the all round personality of the child through medium of dance, drama, music, art, craft and games.

Last but not the least the plan also mentions doing away with the practice of requirement of disability certificate as a pre-condition for admission. This action is planned keeping in mind the non-availability of trained people eligible for issuing the certificates and also the complications and time lag in getting the certificate.