Only professionals to educate disabled children

New Delhi, Feb 13 (UNI) All efforts will be made to ensure that only the qualified, trained and registered professionals provide education to the disabled children, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Meira Kumar has said.

She was reviewing the functioning of the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) which develops tools for early identification of disability, and through its trained professionals provide timely intervention to prevent childhood disability.

''The Council is committed to research and development of the training programmes that meet the ground realities and will be successful in improving the quality of life of the person with disability,'' she told the members of the Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry here yesterday.

She said steps were being taken for effective implementation of the training programmes and enhancing their reach in far-flung areas of the country.

Earlier, the members expressed concern about the placement of trained professionals and adequate remuneration to them.

They also emphasised on the need for the field assessment of the professionals trained by the institutions, recognised by the RCI.

They said the training of the professionals should not be lopsided, and suggested training in more and more regional languages.

The members also demanded posting of at least one special educator in each of the schools, to make the inclusive education, under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Integrated Education of Disabled Children (IEDC) schemes, successful.

The Minister assured the members that their suggestions would be considered to make the RCI more effective in achieving its objectives.

The MPS who attended the meeting were Mrs Minati Sen, Mr Vir Chandra Paswan and Mr Radhey Shyam Kori(all Lok Sabha) and Mr Jesudasu Seelam, Mrs Mohsina Kidwai, Mr B K Hari Prasad and Mrs S G Indira(all Rajya Sabha).

UNI