Schools to Get Special Arrangements from the WB Govt. for Differently-Abled Students

Following her selection for the second term in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s initiative ‘Education All Inclusive’ has asked the schools to arrange certain measures and provisions for the differently-abled students and facilitate them to study with other students. Reports are that schools which are meant especially for the differently-abled students have all these equipments but it will be the first time when all the schools across the state will get these provisions to secure education for all.

EXIN Times has asserted that the new rules imposed upon schools are followed by the state government guidelines and CM Banerjee’s vision that education will be all inclusive. The guidelines also includes ‘in terms of language paper selection, seating arrangements and many more, which will encourage these children to attend schools with other students.’ In this context, the ex-president of the west Bengal teachers association told: “Previously it was at the discretion of the schools whether they would make separate arrangements for these students with special needs but that these instructions are now coming from the authorities are a welcome move.”

While differently-abled students attend special schools designed for their special demand, this move by the government is very likely to get admission in the government-run or government-sponsored schools and choose similar career as other students. Teachers across the city has welcomed the move and said that, “It was a very sordid picture indeed. We had to ask these specially-abled students to shift schools for lack of proper provisions in the schools. Hopefully with the new guidelines, this unfortunate demarcation that these specially-abled students cannot attend classes with other students will cease.”

It is not the first time when the state government is eager to introduce special arrangements for the physically challenged students. The history dates back to 2009-10 when the then ruling CPIM party asked schools across the state to arrange classes in the ground floor, provide elaborate questions and the relaxation to choose one language subject rather than two.  A special guideline for arranging extra classes for these students was also proposed. However, the ‘Education All Inclusive’ initiative by the now-ruling TMC government is likely to execute the proposal.