THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Special Schools Management Association will lay siege to the Director of General Education (formerly Director of Public Instruction) office on March 30 against the apathy being meted out to the staff, special needs students, their teachers and parents. Their grievance is that only Rs 22.5 crore has been distributed when the state government had earlier announced funds to the tune of Rs 105 crore.
The LDF government had sanctioned Rs 105 crore package to special schools following a series of protests and indefinite fasts. However, they allege that not all staff members of special schools have been included in the financial package. Father Roy Vadakkel, chairman of Association for Intellectually Disabled (AID), told TNIE that the state government had provided seven months and 10 months honorarium for 2019-20’ and 2020 -21’ respectively.
“During the last fiscal, the state government had announced Rs 60 crore, but provided only Rs 36 crore. This year it had announced Rs 60 crore in the budget towards special schools run by NGOs, Rs 35 crore towards Buds Schools managed by local self- government bodies and Rs 10 crore for special schools which provide labour training units. But now we have been told that the DGE will grant us only Rs 22.5 crore for four-five months salary alone,” said Fr Roy Vadakkel. He said the DGE department officials are harassing special school staff by denying them their 12 months’ salary. Fr Roy warned that special schools will have to be shut permanently as they will not be able to run with meagre funds. The schools have been a solace to 25,000 special needs children and their parents.
“If this happens, it will be breach of special needs rights law. Close to 5,000 staff of special needs schools will be left jobless. The protest on March 30 will see students, parents, staff and association office-bearers laying siege to the DGE office. If there is no favourable action, we will be forced to strengthen protests,” he said.
Only Rs 22.5 cr granted
The association allege that only D22.5 crore have been distributed when the state government had earlier announced funds to the tune of D105 crore. Also, they allege that not all staff members of special schools have been included in the financial package