The typical day of T. Radha, a special educator in Chennai, starts at 10 a.m. and involves visiting schools to teach children with disabilities using a modified syllabus. Despite her dedication, she can only attend to 10 children out of 30 in need, raising concerns about the disparity between disabled students and special educators. Tamil Nadu’s School Education Department adheres to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, defining intellectual disability as having an IQ below 70. Criticism mounts over the shortage of qualified educators and the execution of inclusive education under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).
The SSA, launched in 2001, aims to ensure educational access for disabled children, mandating special educators for every block. However, many blocks fail to meet these targets, with educators overwhelmed by large caseloads and inadequate salaries, compounded by other assigned duties. The pay, unchanged for 16 years, forces many to leave these roles. The Supreme Court mandates one educator per 10 students, a standard not met in practice.
Schools receiving government grants also face challenges, with insufficient funds for adequate staffing and resources. Private initiatives like Revati Sundar’s school for intellectually disabled children struggle financially, unable to meet government grant criteria.
The B.Ed Special Education program, extended to two years in 2016, faces low enrollment due to unattractive salaries, discouraging potential educators. Experts suggest adherence to the 1:10 ratio could improve job prospects and attract more candidates to the field. Special educator R. Latha points out that students, especially in higher classes, face significant challenges due to the lack of sufficient support, while mainstream teachers cannot consistently cater to special children’s needs.
Tamil Nadu’s special education system demands urgent restructuring to better support educators and students, ensuring all children with disabilities receive the focused, individualized education they need.
Original Story https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/how-special-is-education-anyway/article68592941.ece
Category : Tamil Nadu
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