The Reason for the Lack of Education Assistance for Disabled Children

In India, there are more than 7% of its children population suffers from some form of disability. While, Right To Education has been a part of our Fundamental Rights under Article 21A, since the year 2009, through the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, ensuring free and compulsory education for all children within the age group of 6-14 years. The disabled children of India have been shadowed from receiving the benefits of this act. In India today, 75% of its disabled children population does not receive the adequate education that is every child’s right. But what is the reason behind the lack of impartment of education among these kids? What corrective measures can be taken to minimize the number? Legal changes, recruiting more teachers or introducing more homes for children with disability in India? Let’s look at the issue:

The Major Causes For Lack Of Education Among Disabled Children:

The major reasons behind the disenfranchisement of differently-able children are as follow:

    • Lack of specialized schools

    • Lack of teachers versed in braille and other scripts

    • Lack of awareness

    • Lack of societal responsibilities

    • Limited opportunities

These factors play a major role in limiting education among disabled children.

Lack Of Specialized Schools:

Although various Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations are actively trying to establish either permanent or mobile schools to uplift the grim scenario. The schools that cater to special children must fulfil certain infrastructural criteria to impart education qualitatively. Here, where a lot of work is needed, as all disabled children can’t fully be assimilated into normal schools. This has uplifted the scene in urban India. But the scene is still concerning in rural India. The rural Indian disabled children, who lack such facilities face the worst of this issue. Thus, the establishment of a special home for disabled children becomes more pertinent for the empowerment of these kids.

Lack Of Trained Teachers:

When talking about a career, how many people or even teachers are encouraged to take up such a job? Not a great amount of people. The limited pool of trained teachers and artificial scarcity of opportunity hampers imparting quality education among children with disability. Regardless, of the contribution by governmental agencies, there’s a lot more that needs to be done to meet the demand. Here, NGOs play a key role in establishing homes for disabled children, where education is not just provided to disabled children but also the teachers receive proper training to impart quality education.

Lack Of Awareness:

Although, there are various institutions set up, the awareness of these institutions is limited. If people are not aware of these special schools and homes for disabled kids, admission will remain low. Thus, keeping the flow of education limited.

Lack Of Societal Responsibility:

Society as a whole encourages the education of children but this does not extend to children with disability. As society still lives in their prejudice and dogmatic ideology, wherein, they try to shove these kids towards the corner. This regressive attitude alienates children with disability and widens the gorge of illiteracy among these kids.

Lack Of Opportunities:

While there are opportunities for wealthy families to take proper care of children with disability by hiring specialized teachers for their education. The same is not for the underprivileged who are heavily relied upon the aid of governmental and non-governmental homes for disabled children. This disparity of opportunities because of socio-economic constraints has played a pivotal role in limiting education among disabled children.

It is critical for government, non-governmental, and social organisations to work together to transform the face of literacy among impaired children. Legal reforms and execution alone will not result in far-reaching improvements. Only by raising awareness about the necessity of education for these children, efforts be tripled to meet the literacy rate of the remaining 75% of disabled children who have yet to acquire formal education.

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