From the States

Chennai

Jammu

Education gets more attention

The government will soon install Braille computers at the Government Higher Secondary School for the Blind at Poonamalle. As part of efforts to upgrade the training programme and to make blind students computer-savvy, five Braille computers with special audio software will be given to the school. A government order has already been issued and will be implemented in two months.  This is the first time modern technology is being introduced in the government blind school.

The audio software will enable students to listen to the commands and use their own voice to operate the computer at the same time. “So far, the facility was available in some private schools, but now government school students can also benefit of the available technology,” said sources.

Computers will also be given to the Government Girls Higher Secondary School for the Blind in Trichirapalli.

The computers are meant for students of class XI and XII.  The government will also appoint two part–time teachers to teach students on how to handle these computers. “Many visually – impaired students are showing interest in computers.  This training may help in motivating students to take up computer-related jobs,” sources said.

The office of the Special Commissioner for the Disabled has placed orders for the computers with the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu. The total cost of the project is estimated to be Rs. 14.66 lakh.

In another initiative, the Braille press which was in disuse for many years at the Government Higher Secondary School for the Blind at Poonamallee will soon be revived. The school is distributing Braille textbooks to the 10 government-run blind schools.  However, the press was not completely functional for a few years forcing the government to source text books from private firms and students had even staged protests to revive the press.

“However, we have now decided to revive the press in another two or three months, so we can print our own text book,” said sources.

The department had found that the machinery was still in working condition, but was not adequately utilized.  “Now, manpower has to be equipped to make the press completely functional,” said the source.  Braille text books for the coming academic year are expected to be printed from the press at the Poonamalee campus.

Source: Braille Computers for blind schools, Indian Express, Daily, Chennai 5th January 07.

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A step towards equal opportunities

As the normal educational institutions up to senior secondary level do not have proper facilities for the physically challenged students in their examination centers, the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JK BOSE) has decided to set up exclusive centre for disabled students from the next academic session beginning in April 2007, in Jammu region.

This exclusive examination centre will come up in the BOSE’s office complex at Rehari in Jammu region while in Kashmir region such a centre has already been established and functioning since October 2006.

All physically challenged students with a disability of 40 per cent or above would be able to avail the benefit of exclusive examination centre. The seating arrangements would be keeping in view the disability of the students like sofas for those who are not in a position to sit on normal chairs and mattresses for those, who cannot sit on any type of chair.

Any student who is not in a position to write would be provided the assistance of a person, to ensure that physically challenged students do not lag behind in getting education and would be able to compete with the normal children.

According to the Director Academics of Board of School Education, Bashir Ahmed Sheikh, the decision was taken to ensure a barrier-free atmosphere to both normal as well as physically challenged students with the “supervisory staff of the centre given specific directions about the conduct of examinations.”

Terming the establishment of exclusive examination centre as yet another step of BOSE towards its disabled friendly policy, Director Academics of the Board disclosed that five per cent relaxation in the pass percentage to the disabled students is already being students is already being given since October 2006 and the same will continue.

Moreover, no examination fee is being charged from the physically challenged students, he further said.

About the facilities to the physically challenged students in their respective educational institutions throughout the year, he said” we are also planning to issue disabled friendly guidelines to the schools up to Senior Secondary level.”

Source: Disabled students to take exams in exclusive centre, The Excelsior, Daily Jammu, 4th January 2007.

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Quota in PSC

Saying that physically challenged people are the important component of society, Chaiman Public Service Commission (PSC) Mohammad Shafi Pandit has ensured that handicapped quota prescribed by the government would be implemented in letter and spirit in PSC.

Speaking at a function organized by Youth hostel association of India Jammu and Kashmir branch to celebrate Eid, Christmas, Lohri, New year and Gurupurab jointly with the under privileged  children, orphans and inmates of old age home at Luthra Academy last evening. 

Mr. Pandit said that in the prevailing situation, the number of orphan’s handicapped have increased tremendously and added that “it is time that we have to think about this component of society to help them generously”. 

Mr. Pandit also announced that Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission has kept the minimum qualifying marks for PSC exams 40 percent rather than 50 percent for physically challenged students.  Referring the demands put forth by the Blind Association to provide question papers on the Braille formats or provide helper for writing, Mr. Pandit  assured them that “if this process is implemented  by the PSC in other states, we also implement it here.”

Source: Physcially challenged quota implemented in PSC: Shafi Pandit, The Excelsior, Daily Jammu, 4th January 2007.

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Facilities are improving!

Minister for Health and Medical Education Mangat Ram Sharma stressed on the need for giving due recognition to the physically challenged persons in the society so that they may not feel a sense of discrimination.

The minister was addressing a function organized by the Residential School for Blind to celebrate 199th Birth Anniversary of Louis Braille who invented six digits of Braille scripts for the blind.

Mr. Sharma said that Government would take necessary steps to provide better facilities to the inmates of the blind school.  He asked the Director Social Welfare to come up with a comprehensive proposal for increasing the intake capacity of the students, up-graduation of primary school to middle level besides increasing job reservation quota and pension benefits for physically challenged persons for appropriate action by the Government.

Mr. Sharma also inaugurated a Computer Lab with Braille software at the blind school.  He distributed prizes among the students who performed well and announced Rs. 5000 for them.  Students were also awarded Rs. 10,000 on behalf of Minister for Social Welfare, Haji Nissar Ali and Rs. 500 by Ms. Shanti Devi.

Source: Mangat for due recognition to physically handicapped, The Excelsior Daily, Jammu, 5th January 2007.

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