Editorial
Rights of the disabled trifled with
Access to education virtually denied
IN the absence of any government census on the disabled children in the country their number is put between 1.6 and 2.6 million in varying estimates. The total number of the retarded, however, has been estimated by NGOs to be at least 10 percent of the population.
Out of these staggering numbers of children, only between 1335 and 1500 have been taken under the wings of government education programmes in 78 institutions. Comparatively, 10,000 to 15,000 are beneficiaries of education programmes run by around 400 NGOs. This access is only to primary schooling, to say nothing of obtaining entry into secondary, tertiary or vocational institutions.
Governments in some developing countries do not stop short of catering to the skill needs of the retarded in special schools, upstream they also help secure employment and rehabilitation for the disabled in both private and public sectors. By contrast, our governments traditionally have not only abysmally failed to provide required educational coverage to the unfortunate children but also turned a blind eye to their assimilation into the society as useful and productive citizens.
It is only lately that we hear of some quota being reserved for their employment in government services. The private sector may follow suit. But essentially, we are doing very little for the large number of physically or mentally retarded children languishing in the backyards of their families to be prepared for adult life.
The essential thing to note is that education and grooming of the retarded children has been a low priority on successive governments' agenda. This is borne out by the fact that the issue is treated as a matter of 'welfare' rather than one of constitutional and fundamental rights. True to the approach, according to rules of business, only one ministry, namely, the welfare ministry is in charge of educating the retarded which practically involves the ministry of primary and mass education, let alone the finance and planning ministry.
Let's not forget that our retarded have great talent to win laurels abroad. Only this year, disabled athletes from Bangladesh won 15 gold medals in the Special Olympics World Summer Games keeping to their reputation of bagging 37 gold, 22 silver and 19 bronze medals in the last three meets.
It is redeeming to learn from social welfare secretary MA Hye Howlader that 'the government has included ministries concerned in the latest action plan'. We have to wait and see if things start changing now.
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