The Hindu : Young minds are sensitive too

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 15, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Young minds are sensitive too

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE Dec. 14. There is a picture of children participating in a race and a physically handicapped person is one of the winners.

This painting by a young student depicts how children can be sensitive to issues of discrimination and the problems of their disadvantaged friends.

"Children who learn together, learn to live together." This is the essence of "Splash 2002", a series of drawing and painting competitions based on the theme of inclusive education organised by the Association of People with Disability (APD), a voluntary organisation working with physically and mentally disadvantaged persons, here. The programme culminated here on Saturday with the prize distribution function, where students from various schools in the City were presented certificates and awards for their paintings on inclusive education.

Inclusive education means that all students in a school, regardless of their strengths and weaknesses or a disability, become part of the school community, say APD representatives.

Some of the paintings depicted normal children playing in a garden with their disabled counterparts, disabled and normal children learning together in harmony in a school environment, and disabled persons taking part in various activities like music, arts and handicraft making, and so on.

One of the highlights of the event was a huge canvas on which the winners brought to life their thoughts on inclusive education through brush and paint. The canvas and the prize-winning paintings will be put up for sale.

APD reached out to 200 schools and 40,000 students in Bangalore to sensitise them on the issue of integration of children with disability into the mainstream society. Drawing and painting competitions were conducted in different schools for the past one-and-a-half months. The best entries were selected and judged by the artists, Shantamani, Muralidharan, Ravi Kashi, Sumana Chowdary, Sureka, and Sunitha Kariappa.

Sunil Joshi, cricketer, gave away the prizes to students along with other personalities including Gopala Ramaswamy, Rotarian, and Jayanth, representative of Network of Inclusive Education, and others. Around 30 students were given prizes.

Schools that were awarded for maximum participation were St. Mary's High School, Dasarahalli; Baldwin Girls High School, Richmond Road; St. Mira's High School, 6th block, Rajajinagar; Reddy Jana Sangha, Koramangala; Nirmala Girls Higher Primary School, Lingarajapuram; Ayyappa English School, Dasarahalli; Merry Land; Soundarya English School, Dasarahalli; Sunrise English School; Ever Shine School; SBM English School; Chinmaya English School, Ulsoor; BES School, Jayanagar; Fathima Girls High School, Bapuji School; JSS Public School; Maruthi English School; and Gem English School.

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