BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to extend its 5T High School Transformation programme to schools for specially-abled children. Apart from its own schools, the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) is drawing up modalities for transformation of special schools that are functioning in rented buildings owned by NGOs, under the 5T initiative.
As per reports, there are four special schools in Khurda and Sambalpur functioning under the School and Mass Education department with a student strength of 352 and 49 teaching staff. Similarly, there are 31 such schools that are being funded by the SSEPD department. These 31 schools currently cater to the educational needs of 6,436 differently-abled students with the help of 853 teachers.
Officials said the School and Mass Education department has been requested by SSEPD to take up the transformation work of all the four schools functioning in government buildings/Red Cross buildings on priority basis in the first phase. On a pilot basis, the School for Blind and School for Deaf at Ambapua in Ganjam district has been transformed under the 5T scheme.
“These two schools will serve as a model/example for transformation of other schools for special children. An exposure visit to these two schools will be organised for officials/stakeholders who will be associated with the transformation of the government school buildings,” an official added.
At present, many of the special school buildings functioning from NGO-owned buildings or rented buildings do not have a standard infrastructure for accessibility, safe drinking water, accessible toilets, library facility, playground, science labs, among other facilities. During the transformation process, all these facilities will be installed.
The transformation plan for such schools will include basic infrastructure required for children with special needs, assistive devices, teaching learning materials and development of life skill education. Besides, each special school will have a disability-specific model and in case of schools for intellectual disability, autism and cerebral palsy, the transformation model would be prepared in a different manner. Interventions like therapeutic and sensory integration will be made part of the transformation model.
Transforming lives