KOZHIKODE: Bringing much succour and hope to the parents of mentally-challenged kids in the state, a government-appointed committee has chalked out a slew of ambitious recommendations to ensure the protection of these kids even after they cross 18 years of age.
The proposals include setting up of vocational training centres, day care centres for those with severe and profound disabilities and lifelong rehabilitation centres. The four-member committee chaired by the DPIproposes the setting up of the centres at the special schools in the state from the next academic year onwards. The committee is expected to submit the detailed proposals to the government by the end of this month. Social Welfare Director, Labour Department director and director of C H Mohammed Koya Memorial State Institute for Mentally-Challenged are the other members.
The committee has met twice and organised a workshop incorporating various stakeholders, who run institutions for the differently-abled, to garner their suggestions. An interactive session with the parents of the differently-abled will also be held before submitting the proposals to the government.“While the differently-abled, irrespective of their age, are trained at special schools, the Right to Education Act restricts it to those below 18 years of age. Aiming to unburden the shoulders of the parents of special kids and to ensure that none of them goes abegging when they leave school after turning 18, we are suggesting the government to offer vocational training to them at the schools by launching separate training centres for them. As those with mild and moderate disabilities are trainable and employable, the vocational training will help them in overcoming the challenges in life,” says committee member and SIMC director M K Jayaraj.
“The differently-abled persons face several issues, including the debility to cope with the hormonal changes when they turn 18. And hence they need extra care and support. The parents too would be emotionally wrecked; and our proposal to set up the centres is to address these very issues,” he adds.According to their proposal, the day care and rehabilitation centres will also be set up along with the schools where the rehabilitation centres will ensure lifelong protection of the differently-abled who are orphaned or has no one to care for.