Special kids, unfair treatment

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 24

As the Education Department has failed to release funds for the Children with Special Needs (CWSN) component for the ongoing academic session, surgeries and travel allowance of special children have been put on the hold.

The funds under the CWSN Department are released quarterly for surgeries, aids and appliances and travel allowance. The inclusive education volunteers (IEV), who impart training to students in resource room draws a salary of 4,500 per month. Owing to lack of funds, the salaries have also been put on hold since April.

Volunteers allege that the footfall of special children has also been affected due to delay in release of travel allowance. A travel allowance of Rs 10 per day is paid to the children.

“The main problem is that of a travel allowance. Earlier, there was a provision of Rs 20 per day which was later slashed to Rs10. Now, it has been two years since the travel allowance has not been paid. Parents don’t have time to pick and drop the kids. They often complain of the money they used to receive for travelling,” said Gurwinder Singh, an IEV.

“We have to pick students from their home or else our jobs are at stake. It has become a tedious task to bring kids. We have been working without salaries for four months as funds have not been released,” he said

The inclusive education component was a part of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). However, tt now comes under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, which is an integration of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE).

Under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan Punjab, there is a provision of funds up to Rs 3,500 per child annually for children with special needs, studying at government, government-aided and local body schools. This will include aids and appliances, teaching material, a stipend for CWSN girls at a rate of Rs 200 per month for 10 months.