Dondibari Government Primary School at Jaldhaka upazila in the district has been selected as the best inclusive school in Nilphamari.
Disclosing the information, Jaldhaka Primary Education Officer Kazol Kumar Sarkar told the Bangladesh Post: “District Primary Education Officer recognised the school by issuing an official letter.”
School sources said a total of 14 differently abled children read in this school at present. “They are using hearing aids, spectacle glasses and walker and learn from each other,” said Anil Kumar Roy, Headmaster of the school.
He said, “In our school, children with disabilities take part in all kinds of academic and extra-curricular activities with the regular students. The school has special toilet for differently abled students.
“I got this spectacles a year ago. Now, I can see clearly and learn my lessons easily. I love to come to school every day,” said Ashamoni, a student of class four.
Mentionable, the situation in the school was not so good before implementing a certain project. In collaboration with Directorate of Primary Education and Ahsania Mission, non-government organisation, Plan International Bangladesh has been implementing the inclusive education project in Jaldhaka upazila since 2014. Objective of the project is to ensure education for all children especially for special needed children.
“To identify the need of children with different abilities, carried out an assessment by the expertise of social welfare department of government and provide need based assistive devices for them,” said Plan International Bangladesh’s acting Divisional Manager of Rangpur Dr Hrishikesh Sarker.
At startup phase, a motivational orientation with primary school teachers to change their traditional mindset was organized where videos on real-life experiences were shown.
The orientation motivated the teachers a lot to be positive to all children.
Sschool teachers were trained also on different types of methods related to teaching differently abled children.
“From a training I came to know, special needed children have the rights to get education. As a teacher I have the responsibilities to educate them. From this realization we enrolled special need children at the beginning of the year and teach them applying comprehensive methods,” said headmaster Anil Kumar Roy.
