Ensuring inclusive education system for all children demanded

Staff Reporter :

Stressing on an inclusive society for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the rights activists at an event called for ensuring inclusive education system for all the children, including those with disabilities. They said, inclusive education system can ensure the maximum participation of every child and also their quality education.

Citing Bangladesh Primary Education (compulsory) Law 1990, they observed that any child should not be deprived of getting education facilities due to teacher crisis, lack of adequate educational materials, adequate space, gender, cultural and other causes.

They made the observations while addressing a workshop titled ‘Actions for developing educational methodology of children with disabilities’ Saturday.

Blind Education and Rehabilitation Development Organization (BERDO) organized the event at its Rupnagar Office at Mirpur in the capital. In a bid to ensure the access to education for children with disabilities, they suggested for ensuring proper environment, educational and sports materials for students with disabilities.

Not thinking them as burden, rather they should be made skilled and brought into the country’s mainstream, they added. The teachers who will teach them should be given necessary training.

Students with visual impairment should be given amanuensis in their exams so that they can participate in exams smoothly, they said. Besides, steps should be taken for ensuring their access to employment. Because, if they are deprived of job facilities, they will feel discouraged to pursue education.

The speakers called on journalists to play their role in ensuring the rights of students with disabilities so that Bangladesh can achieve SDGs by 2030. Bangladesh may face trouble in achieving SDGs if the issue of inclusion is disregarded, because SDGs’ main focus is to ‘leave no one behind’.

Professor Mohammad Alauddin Al Azad, Principal of Govt. Rupnagar Model School and College, attended as the chief guest, while Md. Muklesur Rahman, Additional Director of Bangladesh Jatio Samaj Kalyan Parishad, was present as the special guest.

Chaired by Md. Saidul Huq, Executive Director of BERDO, Asfia Sirat, Senior Assistant Secretary, Women and Children Affairs Ministry, Jesmin Akhter, Director of National Skill Development Authority, Kamal Ahmed, Assistant Professor of Mirpur College, among others, spoke.

NGO representatives, government officials and a number of students with disabilities were also present.