Separate curriculum for differently-able children

More than half the children with disabilities in Bangladesh are not enrolled in any formal education, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) with technical support from UNICEF. There are reportedly only 20 schools in the country, which have the capacity to teach differently-abled children. And there is no fixed curriculum for these children. As the children remain uneducated and untrained, they fail to find work and earn a dignified living. Many disabled children lag behind when they are admitted to regular schools since there is no separate curriculum for differently-abled children. Their assessment process is also the same as other children, which is not helpful at all. Besides, there is no proper infrastructure for children with disabilities.

Inclusion of differently-abled children to education can become a life-changing step for them. There should be a separate curriculum for children with disabilities and it should be prepared to incorporate their needs. The teachers also need more training to teach children with disabilities. We should provide differently-abled children an opportunity to integrate them into mainstream education and the workforce. For this, we need to do more for these children. We need to provide the support and service as per their need. And we need to create an inclusive environment where they can thrive. If educators, policymakers, and other stakeholders commit themselves to this task, these children will be able to groom themselves up and contribute to the country.

Afroza Sheikh,

Dania, Dhaka,

ilcbd2008@gmail.com