The Education Department is planning to extend ‘Koottukoodan Pusthakachangathi’, a voluntary book donation drive for differently-abled students being undertaken by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Kozhikode, across the State.
Speaking to The Hindu on Sunday, General Education Secretary Usha Titus said: “It is an ongoing programme involving book publishers and the public whose contributions are channelised for the purpose. It can be easily implemented in other districts too.”
The target of the first phase of the programme, launched on World Reading Day on June 19, was to set up home libraries with at least 100 books each for 360 bed-ridden children in Kozhikode district by December 3, which is observed as the International Day of Disabled Persons. Teachers’ associations, students’ organisations, block resource centres (BRC), libraries, and the State Library Council have been roped in to donate books.
SSA district programme officer A.K. Abdul Hakkeem said that almost 90% of the work was over.
“When the staff at the Vadakara BRC visited the house of a 15-year-old differently-abled girl in Madappally, her mother wanted to know if it was possible to construct a road to the house. Every time she had to be taken to the hospital for treatment, the mother had to carry her in her hands through the narrow stretch,” Mr. Hakkeem said. With the help of neighbours and the grama panchayat president, a new road was laid to their house.
Another notable achievement was the setting up of ‘Changathikkottam’, a group of students who spend time with differently-abled children on holidays.
As many as 1,500 children have been trained for the purpose, and at least two of them visit the differently-abled to make them feel that they are not alone.
The scheme also led to the construction of houses. “For example, the staff at the Koduvally BRC happened to meet two siblings, both differently-abled, whose house was located on a hillock in Kattippara grama panchayat. They were finding it difficult to reach the therapy centre which was far away. They had left their home and were staying at a relative’s place. They sought to know if it was possible to get a house constructed,” he said.
The grama panchayat made arrangements to allocate land for them for free and in association with the funds provided by the local MLA, a house was constructed.
CM to attend
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is expected to attend the event marking the culmination of the first phase of the project in December. The second phase will target the remaining 650 students.
