Barrier-free access to education for special children- What the National Education Policy says

Introduction-

According to the latest provision made in the New Education Policy (NEP) in 2020, access to special education for children with disabilities is made important and necessary in all schools as well as universities around the country. The policy lays emphasis on imparting knowledge and creating new measures and techniques to teach children with specific disabilities so as to provide barrier-free education to them. But do you know the significance of this new amendment and the importance of special education in the contemporary world? Even if you don’t, this article will definitely make you aware of it.

Need for Special Education:

The present statistics suggest that there are one billion children living with a disability worldwide which is around 15% of the entire world’s population. And taking into account the 2019 ‘State of the Education Report for India: Children with Disabilities, there are 78,64,636 children experiencing some form of disability in India constituting 2.2 % of the total population of children in the country. Among the PwD age group of 15 years & above, only 19.3% had a secondary level of education and from the age of 3 to 35, only 10% went to the preschool intervention program.

Image credit Hindustan Times

The WHO had also estimated that in some countries including India, being disabled more than doubles the chance of never enrolling in school. One in three out-of-school children is known to have a disability and it is very disappointing to see a large number of dropouts of students with disabilities because of various reasons like inaccessibility, lack of required resources, and social discrimination.

These studies highlight the major concerns regarding the education of children with disabilities and this clearly signifies the importance of introducing a special measure to educate the population of specially-abled children that constitutes a significant number in society and this makes it rather a need to make them well-educated. This also increases the importance of learning the Sign language along with basic subjects to be able to communicate better and ultimately help them to be well educated and work in favor of their personal growth as well as for the betterment of the society.

Some important pivots of the policy-

1.     Gender equality, equity, and inclusion

2.     Specifically trained teachers

3.     Barrier-free access to education to everyone

4.     More accessible resources

5.     Introducing new techniques and measures to impart knowledge

6.     Better security measures and new assessment criteria

7.     Comfort and ease of learning

8.    Self-paced, flexible curriculum to harness their talents and support their special needs.

9.    Providing equitable access to higher learning opportunities

10. Provision of resources, funds, and the tools to make all aspects of education and school activities accessible.

Measures taken in the direction-

The NEP 2020, which has been approved by the Union Cabinet this year, also takes into consideration several important dimensions of the RPWD Act 2016 that were earlier neglected. ‘The Inclusive Education as a system of education is stressed upon wherein students with and without disabilities learn together.’ The main goal of this policy is to ensure universal access to high-quality education even for children with special needs or Divyang by providing them special attention and priority and giving them equal opportunities and quality education as any other child. The foundation of the act is to bridge the gap between various groups of people and communities and strengthen existing measures. 

Talking about the tools-

In order to make this new addition to the NEP possible, certain new technologies and tools have been designed. Assistive devices, language appropriate teaching-learning materials like textbooks in accessible formats such as large print and Braille are also made available to these children. This policy helps in identifying the unique capabilities of each student and promotes their holistic development in both academic and non-academic spheres.

Appointment of Special Educators

Under the NEP 2020, various schools and universities appoint special teachers who are trained to teach such students using the resources provided by the government. Separate funds are also generated to make the environment of the teaching institutes favorable and to cater to the educational needs of students with severe or multiple disabilities. The assessment of these individuals had also been on a much different level including new guidelines so as to provide them equitable access to higher education. Even a certain percentage of reservations is there in various fields and institutes for the specially-abled. Apart from imparting theoretical knowledge, it is also ensured that these children get equal exposure and convenience to have practical knowledge and involve in extracurricular activities and sports that along with helping them to learn and grow, also spreads awareness about the issue and make other people empathize and understand the importance of treating everyone equally.

Open and Distance Learning (ODL) Programmes are also being offered by the National Institute of Open Schooling (MIOS) and Special Education Zones (SEZs) to meet the learning needs of children with benchmark disabilities, who are unable to attend a physical school daily.

The recent changes in the policy also takes into consideration the dropout rates and also address children in vulnerable situations like victims of trafficking or child beggars and orphans in addition to those with disabilities, making it easier and more accessible for them to get a proper education.

Various officials like Arman Ali, Executive Director,  NCPEDP emphasized the education of such children and urged them to include them in regular schooling. The execution and implementation of the provisions in the NEP are monitored by authorities and NGOs who are working to safeguard disability rights.

Conclusion-

The awareness of the importance of special education and the ways to teach children with specific disabilities had become an important part of the education system and programs. These reforms are sure to help children with disabilities and increase access to quality education, employment, health, and all the other services and help in making them aware of their basic rights and make their life better. The importance of special education lies in changing the mindset of people and empowering the specially-abled individuals and those from socio-economic disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly including females and transgender individuals or people from Scheduled castes and tribes and other minorities, and to improve their position as independent and educated people than just a secluded part of the society. The NEP, to a great extent, has been efficient in recognizing the challenges faced by certain groups in society and inculcating knowledge in them and better allocation of resources by implementing effective measures.

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