Speakers at an international conference on Tuesday discussed ways to overcome challenges to creation of an inclusive society for persons with disability.
The conference on ‘Availability, accessibility and affordability of health and education for an inclusive society’ at Holy Cross College was organised by the PG and Research Department of Rehabilitation Science and Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology.
The meet saw experts in the field of health, education and special education addressing students, research scholars, and professionals from Australia, Cameroon, Canada, Oman and various parts of India.
Himangshu Das, Director, National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities, observed that unlike in Australia and other developed countries, special education did not receive due importance in India, where he said the educational system was complex. While availability was not an issue, accessibility and affordability were not so good.
He favoured the kind of training that would equip persons with disabilities with traits of resilience, grit and confidence. More often, persons with disabilities were depressed. There was an imperative need to motivate special educators also with suitable training programmes, Dr.Himangshu Das said.
S. Kannan, Research Officer, State Project Directorate, RUSA (Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan) said increasing educational opportunities was a key factor to creating a robust economy as the basis for an inclusive society. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of Tamil Nadu in higher education was 48.5% during 2017-18. Another heartening factor was the parity between boys and girls in enjoying the higher educational opportunities in recent years.
Under phase II, ₹50 crore had been sanctioned for each of seven universities, including Bharathidasan University, in Tamil Nadu. Each university was expected to utilise ₹15 crore for creating entrepreneurship hubs, he added.
The talk of inclusive education of late was a positive development. Persons with disabilities, in fact, enjoyed an inclusive society for some years spanning the pre-Independence and post-Independence era, College Secretary Rev. Sr. Niranjana Anthonisamy pointed out.
There was a need to raise the self-esteem of persons with disabilities by providing them equal opportunities. For that to happen, health caretakers and educationists needed to be imparted quality training, College Principal Rev. Sister A. Christina Bridget said.