Enumeration to identify children with special needs

The enumeration of persons with special needs, particularly children with special needs (CWSN) aged between 3 and 18, began here on Tuesday.

The Department of Public Instruction has taken up the two-day exercise under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan with the support of anganwadi workers and assistants, as well as accredited social health activists (ASHAs).

Different approach

This enumeration is different from what the department does every year. Under the Suvarna Arogya Chaitanya programme, the department identified children with special needs at primary, higher primary and high schools, and extended benefits to them. Now, it is visiting the houses of CWSN.

This is being done to prepare an action plan and take up infrastructure development in schools.

Purpose

Deputy Director of Public Instruction Nagendra Kumar told The Hindu that the door-to-door enumeration was aimed at preparing a complete data of persons with disabilities for chalking out various programmes.

More than 6,000 enumerators, including teachers, were on the job, Mr. Kumar said. Data would be compiled in a week's time and sent to the State project office of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has adopted a “zero rejection policy” so as to provide quality education to children with special needs. It says children with special needs should not be deprived of the right to education; they should be taught in a school environment so that they can learn better.