PUDUCHERRY: It is good news for mentally challenged children with Rehabilitation Council of India’s (RCI) approval to start a two-year course in special education at Satya Special School, a privately run school here.“The course, first of its kind in the Union Territory, has been granted two academic sessions 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 with an intake of 25 students. It has to be conducted as per RCI standard syllabus and nomenclature and in accordance with the norms prescribed.” said Dr J P Singh, member secretary, RCI.The course D Ed Spl Ed (MR) is a necessity as lack of special educators is bogging the development of mentally challenged children in UT. “While there are about 16 special schools, there are hardly any educators to fulfil their special needs. Most mentally challenged students are in the privately run special schools. There are no government-run school for children with autism, down syndrome and cerebral palsy. Such children require special attention not only with regard to their behaviour, but also in their learning process,” says Chitra Shah, director, Satya Special School.Many of them remain out of schools, especially in the rural areas. A good number of them remain unidentified, she added.Special education courses are not offered by any college in Puducherry; though there are institutions for B Ed, the special educators are recruited by private special schools in Chennai and Coimbatore. They do not last long, as these schools pay only `3,000 lesser than what they get in Chennai schools (`5,000 to ` 7,000).
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