Nagaland government notifies on education of children with disabilities

Dimapur, Sep. 16 (EMN): In a move that will allow children with disabilities to enjoy equal educational opportunities, the government of Nagaland has notified Sections 16 and 31 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act 2016.

This was informed by Diethono Nakhro, State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, through a press release on Wednesday. The notification, pertaining to the education of children with disabilities, was signed by the chief secretary of Nagaland on March 30 this year, it informed.

According to Section 16 of the RPwD Act, “the state government and local authorities shall endeavour that all educational institutions funded or recognised by them provide inclusive education to the children with disabilities”, it added.

This section has provisions where educational institutions should:

• Admit them without discrimination and provide education and opportunities for sports and recreation activities equally with others.
• Make building, campus and various facilities accessible.
• Provide reasonable accommodation according to the individual’s requirements.
• Provide necessary support individualised or otherwise in environments that maximise academic and social development consistent with the goal of full inclusion.
• Ensure that the education to persons who are blind or deaf or both is imparted in the most appropriate languages and modes and means of communication.
• Detect specific learning disabilities in children at the earliest and take suitable pedagogical and other measures to overcome them.
• Monitor participation, progress in terms of attainment levels and completion of education in respect of every student with disability.
• Provide transportation facilities to the children with disabilities and also the attendant of the children with disabilities having high support needs.

“Notwithstanding anything contained in the Rights of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, every child with benchmark disability between the age of six to eighteen years shall have the right to free education in a neighbourhood school, or in a special school, of his choice,” according to Section 31 of the Act.

“The appropriate government and local authorities shall ensure that every child with benchmark disability has access to free education in an appropriate environment till he attains the age of eighteen years,” it added.