Kerala   

Camp for parents of special children

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: Nearly 50,000 parents of children with special needs across the State will attend a one-day awareness camp to be organised by the Department of General Education later this month.

The programme will be held in all the 38 educational districts.

The session will enumerate the various concessions and financial assistance, including scholarships, available to the children from various government departments and other agencies.

Many parents were unaware about the schemes available for such children or how to press their rights on the basis of legislation, said a senior official of the Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI).

‘Velicham,’ a 104-page booklet, prepared by the State Institute for Educational Management and Training, detailing all the schemes and programmes for these children will be given to all the participants of the camp.

According to the Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI), nearly 3 to 10 per cent of school-going children in the State have at least some degree of disability, ranging from visual and hearing impairment to learning difficulties.

Training will be provided to parents in batches of 50 each.

It may be noted that it was at a similar camp conducted by the Education Department last year that helped the parents to highlight the plight of Gayathri, a student of government school at Sreekaryam.

A victim of osteoporosis, Gayathri was confined to bed for nearly three years. But her indefatigable spirit and meritorious performance at the examination saw her enrolling for higher studies at a leading city school earlier this year.

Gayathri’s triumph was greatly due to the support she received from her parents, who stood firmly by her. Through the awareness camp, the department hoped to instil the same spirit in every parent, said the official.

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