PM asks schools to discard reservation against disabled children [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

PM asks schools to discard reservation against disabled children

Local April 03, 2017

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday urged schools to discard a general reservation against children with disabilities saying that one’s disability must not be a reason to keep him or her from education.
‘General educational institutions don’t want to enrol children with disabilities. This mentality will have to be removed,’ she said while inaugurating the 10th World Autism Awareness Day at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka Sunday morning.
‘We always give highest priority to education. But that must be uniformed,’ she added.
Social welfare ministry arranged the programme. The day was observed in the country as elsewhere in the world with the theme ‘toward autonomy and self-determination’.
Health minister Mohammad Nasim and chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the social welfare ministry Mozammel Hossain were present at the function, while state minister for social welfare Nuruzzaman Ahmed presided. Social welfare ministry secretary Zillar Rahman delivered the welcome address.
The premier said, ‘The talent of the disabled children is endless... I am amazed as so attractive picture they paint, beautiful song they sing and unique cultural programme they perform.’
Whatever greeting cards she sends out on the occasion of different festivals like Eid and Nabobarsha are prepared by children with disabilities, Sheikh Hasina said.
The prime minister urged the people of all classes and professions to extend their helping hands to flourish the talents of the disabled children. ‘They must be given scope for flourishing their latent talents ... let’s make their life beautiful,’ she said.
Assuring that her government will do everything for the welfare of the children with disabilities, Hasina urged the disabled children and their guardians to keep mental strength. ‘I would like to tell them to have mental strength ... We would try our best and such a thing we would do in future that nobody suffer,’ she said.
Hasia also made a fervent appeal to private organisations and entrepreneurs to appoint the persons with all types of disabilities in their respective organisations to ensure their development and dignity. ‘There is no alternative to employment of the persons with all types of disabilities, including autism, to ensure their welfare and increase dignity in family and society,’ she said.
The prime minister said many employers consider needs of the persons with autism as inability. ‘But sincerity of such people in work is much more and their presence at workplace is satisfactory in comparison with others,’ she said.
In this connection, Hasina said that work was underway to identify suitable workplaces for the physically-challenged people to appoint them on a priority basis.
The premier also requested all public and private organisations to set up information centres including development of disabled persons-friendly software, audio video education tools, infrastructure and technology.
She mentioned that the persons with autism were capable of working with equal efficiency in computer and internet by using software.
Hasina reiterated her call to all concerned for ensuring arrangement for ramps for the movement of the physically challenged people. ‘All will have to take the issue seriously keeping the welfare of the disabled in mind,’ she said.
The prime minister said the issue of autism is not new and its pervasion is huge. ‘The children and persons with autism are an integral part of our family and society and the number of children with autism is increasing,’ she said.
Noting that national development is not possible excluding the children with disabilities, Hasina said they would be turned into valuable assets if they were given special care by keeping in mind the needs of these tender-hearted children.
The prime minister said the people had no idea about autism few years ago. ‘The importance and awareness about autism have increased nationally and internationally thanks to tireless efforts of my daughter Saima Wazed,’ she said.
The premier said her government after assuming office in 2009 took massive programmes and started implementing those for creating awareness about autism and the welfare of the persons with autism at the advice of Saima Wazed.
Hasina said, ‘The Neurodevelopmental Disability Protection Act, 2013’ was passed in parliament to protect interests of the persons with disability. ‘Under the law, we have established the Neurodevelopmental Disability Protection Trust to consider the future of the physically-challenged children and Tk 41.50 crore have already been allocated for implementing its programmes,’ she said, adding the allocation would be raised further later.
The prime minister said that the work on formulating a mental health policy is underway so that the children with disabilities get assistance.
The prime minister said the Disability Information System Software was introduced for the development of the disabled people. ‘Through the software, we are collecting information about the number of such people, and so far we got a list of 15,10,800 disabled people,’ she said.
In this connection, Hasina said that the work on collection of information would continue and a database would be developed so that the persons with disabilities could get help from the government.
Later, the prime minister witnessed a colourful cultural function performed by the children with disabilities.
Earlier, she distributed awards among successful autistic children and individuals and organisations working for the development of the children with autism.