Shadow Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 04:
Samagra Shiksha, Jammu and Kashmir, today observed World Braille Day by organising a webinar on the theme “Quality Education for Visually Impaired”.
On the occasion, Kamalbir Singh Jaggi from National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD) delivered an informative lecture.
Jaggi, who himself is visually impaired, shared his experiences saying that no disability can stop an individual to achieve success in life provided the motivation is maintained.
Around 100 Special Educators and Teachers participated in the webinar.
Pertinently, World Braille Day is observed on January 4 every year to celebrate the birth anniversary of Louis Braille.
In a message, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, R. R. Bhatnagar, extended greetings on World Braille Day to teachers, parents and students. He said that the Indian education system and successive government policies have made steady progress towards bridging gender and social category gaps at all levels of school education. He added that government is striving hard to provide barrier free access for all children with disabilities as per the RPWD Act.
Administrative Secretary School Education, B. K. Singh, also congratulated all the teachers and students especially for organizing a webinar on the eve of World Braille Day. Singh revealed that focus of school education is gradually moving towards Inclusive Education. He said that twenty-one disabilities have been identified as per RPwD Act, 2016 and every possible effort is been made to identify and enroll these children into mainstream education.
Project Director, Samagra Shiksha, Dr. Arun Manhas, while addressing the webinar, apprised that National Education Policy-2020 focuses on inclusiveness in schools. Samagra Shiksha J&K have distributed 42 Laptops among all the districts for enhancing the capacity of Braille Tactile Readers. Besides, more than 3500 spectacles have been distributed among Low Vision Children of the Union Territory and reader allowance @ Rs. 2000 disbursed among children through DBT Mode. Besides, different aids/appliances like daisy player, braille kits, smart canes, smart phones have also been distributed among eligible children during medical assessment camps.
