COIMBATORE: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked all schools affiliated to it to form ‘School Inclusion Committees’ to address the needs of children with special needs.
Each committee should include four members: school counsellor, special educator, teachers’ representative and the principal, who will be its chairperson.
The committee should act as the facilitator to promote inclusive education at the school level and in the neighbourhood.
The committees should also be a referral agency for children from disadvantaged groups and weaker sections of society.
“In pursuance of the Right to Education Act and Persons with Disability Act, the Central Board of Secondary Education is providing various exemptions for children with special needs to ensure their active and successful participation in the school system. It is often observed that these provisions are not reaching the targeted population and are often misinterpreted by students and stakeholders in inclusion education,” D T Sudharsan Rao, Joint Secretary, CBSE, said in a circular.
“All the issues with regard to admission, classroom placements, curriculum transaction, exemptions in examination and any other issued to safeguard the interest of children with special needs shall be addressed by this committee at school level,” Rao said.
The committee should also take steps to raise public awareness on the importance of equality and overcoming discrimination and prohibit any kind of harassment and victimisation of any child with special needs in school.
“Children with special needs require extra care and special attention. Teachers need to spend more time with them if they are slow learners and have regular interaction with their parents,” said is very less, said K Navamani, Principal, Angappa Senior Secondary CBSE School, Coimbatore.
However, the number of students with special needs is low in CBSE schools, she added.
