NMC and special children

Today there is a big news item in the news paper. This says that Nagpur Mayer is happy to announce that they have a special and additional budget for integrated education in NMC schools. She said they are going to appoint 30 special teachers for physically challenged and mentally challenged children in lower age group. The news further states that, this will help 400 special children, and in many mentally challenged you need to give one to one service. This news item has come from NMC official, the daily says. See on one side NMC says they need to give one to one service and in the same breath they say 30 sp.teachers will provide services to 400. I do not know who told NMC that physically challenged needs a special educator. The condition of normal education in NMC schools is known to every one. They can not even appoint required teachers for these normal children and on top of it they talk about special children. I am sure even 10% NMC officials and corporaters do not know the abc of mentally challenged. And see the daring of the official who talks about the early intervention of mentally challenged. I have been under taking awareness meetings since last more than 17 years, and my observation about the awareness in respect of mental disability is very low in general. It is more abysmal in case of government servants. Who will tell our dear NMC Mayer that there is acute shortage of special educators through out the country. Let us not talk about the quality of special educators. In many cases the special educator even does not know the subjects in which he is being examined. For me it was sort of a joke when I read the news in this regard. But than i understand the compulsion the NMC has, it is probably all related to getting funds unless such compulsory schemes are being implemented may be on paper only.Of course all us we know how political system and government functions and what priorities they have. Thus I do not take this news very seriously though I am associated with the subject and services to mentally challenged since last 17 years.
By: Navin Deshpande, Secretary, SSS
www.sandnya.org
email: navindesh@gmail.com