Samagra Shiksha, Kerala, has proposed to build resource rooms in the houses of bedridden differently abled students across the State in phases.
This was suggested at a three-day State-level workshop for resource persons, district programme officers, and trainers, which concluded here on Wednesday.
The workshop was meant to train them to extend the ongoing ‘Changathikkoottam’ project across the State and to make home-based education more effective.
Changathikkoottam is the friendship group conceived by the district office of Samagra Shiksha, Kerala, to help bedridden differently abled students, as a follow-up to the Koottukoodan Pusthakachangathi programme that set up home libraries for them.
They consist of school students who spend time with bedridden differently abled students in the same age group at their homes during holidays and festival days.
Positive impact
According to sources, such visits and interactions had had a positive impact on the outlook of the children who shed their inhibitions and expressed their wish to study in a regular school. Now, the Samagra Shiksha is planning to provide facilities for studies, therapy sessions and for play in children’s bedrooms.
According to A.P. Kuttikrishnan, State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha, there are around 10,000 bedridden differently abled students in the State, of whom around 2,000 require help from others for their daily needs.
“The proposal to have more facilities in their bedrooms will be implemented in phases. We expect generous funding from non-governmental organisations and other charity groups for the purpose,” he said. Koottukoodan Pusthakachangathi too would be made more effective, added Mr. Kuttikrishnan.
