Date:24/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/24/stories/2006022419120400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Special children take out rally seeking more schools, more facilities

Staff Reporter

"Government should start special schools in districts"

REACH OUT: Special children participate in a rally organised by the Confederation of Organisations for Persons with Mental Disability on Wallajah Road on Thursday. — Photo: K. Pichumani

CHENNAI: Special children, instructors and parents associated with 32 institutions in the city took out a rally on Thursday to draw attention to the lack of governmental interest in the mentally disabled.

Only one school

The State Government runs only one school for the mentally disabled, said speakers at the conclusion of the rally taken out by the Confederation of Organisations for Persons with Mental Disabilityon Thursday morning.

Even the component allotted for special children under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan was not being fully utilised, said S.S. Rajagopalan, educationist.

Speaking at the conclusion of the rally, he said the Government should start special schools in each district.

"Most countries spend 4-10 times the amount spent on normal children on a special child. Our Government spends less than half the amount."

Instructors of special children often receive the same wages as unskilled labour. Specific training and qualification, approval of courses and government salaries should be provided to teachers, he said.

Other demands

Other demands included issue of bus passes (currently given only to the visually challenged), opening of government schools for special children and giving them similar facilities such as noon meal, textbooks and required equipment. A memorandum was handed over at the Secretariat seeking a monthly assistance of Rs. 1,000 to help parents meet extra costs involved in raising children with mental disability, opening of special schools, granting of facilities given to normal children, appropriate salaries for teachers of special children and government assistance for special schools run by voluntary organisations.