Under Samagra Siksha, recently, there have been visitors to homes of kids with special needs, They are none other than Special educators from Delhi government. Almost 632 kids have been taught at home.
In order to address the educational needs of Child with Special Needs)(CWSN) at the secondary and senior secondary level, the scheme for Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) was, implemented. The Scheme aimed at enabling all students with disabilities completing eight years of elementary schooling, an opportunity to complete four years of secondary schooling in an inclusive and enabling environment in the general education system at the secondary level (classes IX to XII).
Presently, Samagra Shiksha aims to cover all children with special needs (CWSN) in a continuum from classes I to XII. Under Samagra Shiksha, in the year 2018-19, an outlay of Rs. 1023.50 crore has been approved for the education of 21,00,918 CWSN (from classes I to XII) including financial support (for the honorarium/salary) of 15,909 Resource Teachers/Special Educators for the year 2018-19. Also, financial assistance of Rs. 300 crore towards salary of 11865 resource persons/resource teachers (for CWSN) working at BRC/CRC/URC levels, has been approved. Therefore, the total number of special educators and resource teachers/persons available to address the specific needs of children with special needs is 27,774.
The objectives of the component are :
Identification of children with disabilities at the school level and assessment of her/his educational needs.
Provision of aids and appliances, assistive devices, to the children with special needs as per requirement.
Removal of architectural barriers in schools so that CWSN have access to classrooms, laboratories, libraries, play/recreational area and toilets in the school.
Supplying appropriate teaching learning materials, medical facilities, vocational training support, guidance and counseling services and therapeutic services to children with special needs as per his/her requirement in convergence with line departments.
General school teachers will be sensitized and trained to teach and involve children with special needs in the general classroom.
For existing special educators, capacity building programs will be undertaken.
CwSN will have access to support services through special educators, establishment of resource rooms, vocational education, therapeutic services and counseling etc.
Provisions for CWSN included under Samagra Shiksha
Support has been enhanced from Rs. 3000/- per child per annum to Rs. 3500/- per child per annum.
Stipend for girls with special needs has been expanded from the previous allocation to girls from classes IX to XII (RMSA), to classes I to XII (Samagra Shiksha) in order to encourage girls for enrolment & retention and complete their schooling. Stipend is provided through Direct Benefit Transfer.
The provision for home based education covering children with severe/multiple disabilities has been extended for children till class XII under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. In the year 2018-19, the provision for home based education covered 43,996 children with severe/multiple disabilities with an outlay of Rs. 9.22 crore.
Allocation for resource support through special educators has been made separately in order to appropriately address the learning needs of CWSN from elementary to senior secondary level.
The financial support for honorarium/salary for existing and new special educators (as per the Samagra Shiksha norms for salary of teachers). This allocation is over and above the norm of Rs. 3500/- towards student oriented component.
From perspective of Convergence
The appropriate Government and the local authorities such as Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disability, Public Works Department (PWD), CPWD, Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Skill Development, Ministry of Sports and Youth and Sports Development, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Women and Child Development, National Commission of Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) etc. shall endeavor that all educational institution funded or recognized by them provide inclusive education to the children with disabilities and towards that end shall
Admit them without discrimination and provide education and opportunities for sports and recreation activities equally with others
Make building, campus and various facilities accessible
Provide reasonable accommodation according to the individual’s requirements
Provide necessary support individualized or otherwise in environments that maximize academic and social development consistent with the goal of full inclusion
Ensure that the education to persons who are blind or deaf or both is imparted in the most appropriate languages and modes and means of communication
Detect specific learning disabilities in children at the earliest and take suitable pedagogical and other measures to overcome them.
Monitor participation, progress in terms of attainment levels and completion of education in respect of every student with disability
Provide transportation facilities to the children with disabilities and also the attendant of the children with disabilities having high support needs.