The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Report

Urging for the implementation of the Primary Education Development Project-2 (PEDP-2), Jatiya Pratibandhi Forum yesterday organised a view-exchange meeting at the CIRDAP auditorium in the city.

Nafisur Rahman, Director of the Jatiya Pratibandhi Forum, an organisation working for the physically-challenged persons, proposed to take immediate initiative for the development of schools' infrastructures to integrate the special-need children in the mainstream educational system. He urged the government to give Tk 25 crore allocation for the stipends to the special-need children.

Dr Sharmin Haq, teacher of Dhaka University, urged to make examination system easier for the special-need child. Special code could be followed to identify their answer scripts, as some of them are unable to write the answers elaborately.

They said the infrastructures of the schools are not supportive enough for the special-need children. Supportive education devices and easier accessibility to the institutions are needed for the child.

"We have to make sure that our teachers and the peer groups are sensitive to the special-need students", said Tasneem Atahar, Deputy Director of Mass Literacy Campaign.

Speakers opined that awareness building programmes should be taken to include all the students under the project. The books of the NCTB should be published in braille system and reformed for the special need-child, they further said.

Mentioning the primary education as a basic right, they demanded equal rights for all without any discrimination.

Khandoker Jahurul Alam, President of the Forum presided over the meeting, while Md Nazrul Islam Khan attended as chief guest.