VIJAYAWADA: The state government which gave nod to fill up the vacant posts of special teachers in 2015 is yet to come up with a notification. The School Education Department is showing lethargy in filling the vacant posts of special teachers. In all, 1,141 special teachers’ post are lying vacant in the State.
Teachers who work as Inclusive Education Resource Teachers at Sarva Siksha Abhiyan for 12 years and got recognition from the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) are eligible to apply for special teacher posts. The special teachers are those who train children with physical and mental disabilities. The special education is the right of every student with disabilities under the Education Act of 2009.
However, the State is depending on NGOs and Central government mission Sarva Siksha Abhiyan for imparting special education to students. According to Special Educators’ Federation general secretary Gummala Babu, nearly two lakh children are suffering from various disabilities, out of which nearly 1.3 lakh children are suffering from mental disabilities. “The State government is completely neglecting the mentally-disabled children in AP. The only education these children getting is through Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) volunteers,” Babu said.
“The primary focus of these centres is to give primary education to the children with special needs for two years and make them able to join regular schools, which is not happening in reality. Enrolment of mentally-disabled students into regular schools is almost zero,” he observed. Babu said that the State government was organising special education drive at Bhavitha centres in 664 Mandals of the State. “The Cabinet also approved the demand of teachers and released GO 39 on 7 April, 2015 notifying the required posts as 860 in 664 mandals of the State,” he said. The Special Education official said that the government is yet to take a decision for giving orders.