GNS ONLINE RAJOURI
SHYAM SOOD
RAJOURI JULY 25 :–In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Directorate of Samagra Shiksha (SS), J&K has decided to distribute ‘aids & appliances’ among the Children with Special Needs (CWSN) in all the districts of Union Territory of J&K in collaboration with Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO).
The first such distribution camp was organised on Tuesday at the government higher secondary school (HSS) at Kothibagh which was inaugurated by Project Director (PD) Samagra Shiksha, Deep Raj in the presence of Chief Education Officer (CEO), Srinagar, Shabir Hussain; Deputy CEO, Anjum Raja’ Principal, Mrs. Nusrat Bukhari; Assistant Coordinator, Imran Bukhari, &other senior officers/officials.
“To ensure equitable and inclusive education in line with the NEP-2020, Samagra Shiksha under the aegis of the School Education Department is working tirelessly for providing quality education to Children with Special Needs,” said Deep Raj.
“21000 Children with Special Needs have been identified in 188 camps organised in all the districts during 2022-23, out of which 18660 students have been enrolled in various schools across the UT of J&K,” he said.
4990 CWSNs will be empowered with different aids & appliances and the distribution has been started in 5 districts of Kashmir Division (Anantnag, Budgam, Ganderbal, Kulgam, Pulwama, Srinagar, and in the remaining five districts the same will be started by tomorrow, informed Deep Raj.
“In Jammu Division, the distribution camps shall be organised between August 2 & 14” he added.
Project Director Samagra Shikha, Deep Raj also interacted with CWSN. He highlighted the working of SS and said: “Every year Rs1.70 Crores is provided to CWSN as stipend. Braille Books, free uniforms and free textbooks are also provided to the children in various schools across the UT”.
He informed that Principal Secretary School Education Department (SED), Alok Kumar treats Specially Abled Children as Specially Talented Children who are gifted with all potentials, skills, and ways to perform not only in their schools but also on the stage.
“SED is always standing with the CWSN and for which necessary upgradation of Infrastructure like Ramps and CWSN toilets (specially designed) are made available in various schools. More than 400 CWSN toilets have been constructed and 44 resource rooms are functional,” said Deep Raj.
He also appreciated the efforts of the State Coordinator Vijay Sharma; CEO; Principal GHSS, Kothibagh; Assistant Coordinator; special educators/ resource persons, and representatives from ALIMCO foundation for working for the welfare of CWSN.
During the first day of the event, 70 ‘differently abled children’ were provided relevant aids and appliances as per need already assessed by a team of professionals and experts from ALIMCO.
The aids and appliances include tricycle conventional, folding wheelchairs (child size), folding wheelchairs folding (adult size), CP chairs, MR kits, digital type hearing aids, Brail kits, Sugumya cane, daisy player, crutch elbow adjustable, rollators size 1 and 2, AFO II and III, KAFO I and II and other appliances for visually impaired students.
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