Amritsar DC asks Education Department to focus on needs of special children

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 9

DC Harpreet Singh Sudan on Monday instructed the Education Department to set up special squads to look into the arrangements for imparting education to children with special needs (CWSN) studying in private schools and mainstream government schools. He said a detailed report must be submitted on the shortcomings in infrastructure or otherwise and action taken on improving quality of education being imparted to children with special needs.

He also directed the Education Department to ensure equal participation in education and sports of such children studying in government schools to ensure equal opportunity.

In the wake of the amped up efforts by the administration towards CWSN, district’s only government-run school for children with disabilities, the Pehal Resource Centre, recently celebrated sporting achievement of one of its sportsmen.

Spl athlete from Pehal Resource Centre bags bronze at national meet

Gurnoor Singh, a student at Pehal Resource Centre’s school at Karampura, won bronze at the national games held by Cerebral Palsy Sports Federation of India in New Delhi. The sports event saw 180 players with disabilities participating from different states of the country, with six children from Pehal Resource Centre, Amritsar, and one participant from Sri Muktsar Sahib. Gurnoor Singh, who suffers from disability related to cerebral palsy won bronze in the F36 category of shot put event.

The centre has been running sports training programme for children with special needs, training them in field events. It's a challenging process, given limited facilities and funds for special diet for these kids under training are managed by the school or teachers themselves. Amit Mehta, spl educator

His coach Amit Mehta, who is also special educator, said despite the fact that there was no regular sports instructor or coach hired for these kids, their team had been training them in sports and athletics. “Our kids participated in the 100m, 200m and 400m race, shot put, discus throw, long jump and club throw events. The centre has been running sports training programme for children with special needs, training them in field events. It’s a challenging process, given with limited facilities and sometimes funds for special diet required for these kids under training are managed by the school or teachers themselves,” he said. Pehal’s sportspersons with special needs have earlier also brought laurels in special Olympics and special games at the national level. They currently train 25-30 special athletes, without a regular sports coach. The special diet requirement, which includes eggs, protein-rich foods, vegetables, fruits, milk etc., is arranged every now and then. Amit shared that Rs 800 per child is required to arrange special diet for them. “Sometimes, we get funds from the department after we write to them. At times, we arrange when teachers, parents chip in.

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