Question : Education for Visually Challenged Children

(a) whether as per the NCERT eighth all India school education survey there was a 17.36 rise in enrollment of visually challenged children in schools between 2002 to 2009 and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether out of a total 12,99,902 schools in the country, only 21.11% adhered to inclusive education for disabled children and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the number of teachers who had received training in inclusive education was also dismal;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the corrective steps taken by the Government to improve the situation?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI KRISHANPAL GURJAR)

(a) The Education for Visually Challenged Children falls under the purview of Ministry of Human Resource Development. As per them, there is increase in enrolment of visually challenged children in school to the extent 17.36 percent between 2002 to 2009. National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Periodically conduct All India School Education Survey in which information on various indicators is collected for all the States and UTs. The 7th All India School Education Survey (7th AISES), was conducted with reference date September 30, 2002 and 8th All India School Education Survey (8th AISES), was conducted with reference date September 30, 2009 in all states/UTs.
(b) According to the report of 8th All India School Education Survey (8th AISES), a total 12,99,902 schools were there in the country. Out of them 2,74,445 (21.1%) schools were having facility of Inclusive Education for disabled children.
(c-d) As per the report of 8th All India School Education Survey (8th AISES), total 80,942 teachers had received at least two weeks training in inclusive education.
(e) Under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), which covers students from class I to VIII, exemplar material in inclusive teaching strategies, adapted curriculum, adapted teaching techniques and adapted evaluation strategies has been developed. This material, meant for regular teachers, covers all disabilities, including physical, sensory, cognitive and intellectual.
Under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) the component of Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) covers all children studying in classes IX-XII in Government, local body and Government-aided schools. IEDSS provides inter-alia for different facilities for children with special needs such as appropriate learning material i.e. Braille textbooks, audiotapes, talking books etc. as per the needs of special children, provision of assistive aids and appliances and removal of architectural barriers.
Under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) through in service teacher training on inclusive education, teachers are generally oriented to the concept of inclusion and different kinds of children with special needs, through this training 34.22 lakh teachers have been trained under SSA so far.
Under RMSA, training related to inclusive education is given to General teachers as part of their in-service training. In the year 2015-16 2,09,501 general teachers have been trained for inclusive education and in the current year, training for 4,78,463 teachers have been approved.
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