The Special Education System for People with Disabilities
Keywords:
India, educational policy, children with disabilitiesAbstract
Over the years, both the federal and state governments in India have developed programmes and policies aimed at assisting children with disabilities in becoming fully integrated members of society. But since their needs aren't properly served, children with disabilities continue to be among the most marginalised in terms of primary school enrolment and completion. This paper explores the broader challenges in the current education system with respect to issues of quality education and drop-out rates of primary students with disabilities, drawing on my own experiences, research, and communication with various stakeholders involved in the field of education for children with disabilities over the last 30 years. A variety of issues, such as the general attitude of society, government officials, school staff and infrastructure, insufficient levels of training of key stakeholders, the invisibility of disability in the community, poverty, lack of acceptance, lack of interest, and genderism, all play a role in determining whether or not children with disabilities have equal access to education.
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