Outlining the steps for ensuring equal education opportunity for the handicapped, the NPE states that the objective should be “to integrate the physically and mentally handicapped with the general community as equal partners, to prepare them for normal growth and to enable them to face life with courage and confidence. It has envisaged- the following measures:
- Wherever it is feasible, the education of children with motor handicaps and other mild handicaps will be common to that of others.
- Special schools with hostel will be provided, as far as possible at district headquarters, for the severely handicapped children.
- Adequate arrangements will be made to give vocational training to the disabled.
- Teachers’ training programme will be reoriented, in particular for teachers of primary classes to deal with the special difficulties of the handicapped children; and
- Voluntary efforts for the education of the disabled will be encouraged in every possible manner.
The Revised Programme of Action 1992, stressed upon the inclusion of the educational needs of students with disabilities in planning for UEE.
National Policy for Persons with Disabilities
The National Policy for Persons with Disabilities was released by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment in February 2006. It has been realized that every child with disability has access to appropriate pre-school, primary and secondary level education by 2020.
Education of children with special needs (NCF 2005)
The national curriculum framework for school education (NCFSE) (2000), brought out by the NCERT, recommended inclusive school for all without specific reference to pupil with Special Educational Needs (SEN) as way of providing quality education to all learners.
