United Democratic Front Government has decided to make all special higher secondary schools for the differently disabled children as Government-aided schools, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
The Chief Minister was inaugurating the year-long platinum jubilee celebrations of the CSI Vocational Higher Secondary School for the Deaf at Thukalassery near Thiruvalla on Saturday.
According to him, the previous UDF Government had made 17 special schools Government-aided institutions and the present Government has given aided status to six more special schools in 2011.
ADVERTISEMENT
He said the Government policy was to provide every possible assistance for the development of the differently disabled children. The decision to make available Cochlear Implantation worth Rs 5 lakhs to the needy children free of cost was part of this social commitment, he said.
Mr Chandy said six children with congenital deafness have already undergone successful Cochlear Implant surgery at different hospitals as part of the Sruthi Tharangam project of the Social Welfare Department. The Government has selected 100 other children for the Cochlear Implant procedure this year, he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Government was for creating a world without deaf and dumb children, the Chief Minister said.
Presiding over the function, Bishop Thomas K.Oommen of the Church of South India has cautioned against the move to admit differently disabled children to normal schools.
He said the authorities concerned should consider the risks and dangers involved in admitting differently disabled children to the normal schools.
Thomas T. Thomas, school principal, welcomed the gathering.
Bishop Thomas Samuel delivered the benedictory speech. Prof P.J. Kurien, Rajya Sabha member; Anto Antony, MP, Mathew T. Thoams, MLA; Lynda Thomas Vanchippalam, municipal chairperson; Rev Sam Samuel, school bursar; Rev P.U. Paulose, clergy secretary; Prof George Jacob, lay trustee, and Valsamma Mathew, District Education Officer, also spoke.