Ranchi: The Jharkhand Education Project Council (JEPC) and the Jharkhand Council of Education Research and Training (JCERT) initiated a campaign called #Walk4Dyslexia and #GoRed to raise awareness about Specific Learning Disabilities (SLDs) in all schools across the state. The campaign aims to promote the understanding of dyslexia, a neurological condition that affects reading, writing and spelling abilities, regardless of intelligence.
As part of the dyslexia awareness month campaign, a state-level webinar was also held on October 4, engaging over 50 participants from all 22 district institutes of education and training (DIETs). Since then, 520 walks have been conducted across the state to further amplify the message of awareness and inclusion.
According to education department reports, one in five individuals may have dyslexia but only one out of 20 is usually identified. To raise awareness of the issue, a state-level ‘Walk for Dyslexia’ was organized on the JCERT campus on Tuesday, with over 200 participants, including teachers, students and officials from various educational bodies and organisations like Unicef, Room to Read and the Piramal Foundation.
Participants wore red clothing and badges, carrying student-made banners and walked one kilometre to show support for children with learning disabilities.
Deputy director of JCERT, Pradip Kumar, emphasized the importance of integrating students with learning disabilities into mainstream education. Although dyslexia is recognized under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPwD Act) 2016, significant efforts are still needed to ensure these students receive the necessary support.
Sangeeta Kumari, an official from the nodal-state resource group for Inclusive Education at JCERT, said, “SLDs, including dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia affect individuals with average or above-average IQs but hinder their ability to process language, both spoken and written.”
The JCERT official added, “These challenges manifest as difficulties in reading, writing, spelling and math, and many individuals with SLDs suffer silently, misjudged as lazy or incompetent.”