MARGAO: Following the joint representation made recently by various stakeholders concerned, the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) has issued a fresh circular to all heads of schools regarding extending education benefits to children with disabilities.
These guidelines are regarding the correct procedure to be followed by primary referral sources and early intervention, officials to promote prompt, appropriate referrals of children to the District Early Intervention Centre (DEIC) and coordination among all those with roles in the referral and intake process.
In the circular, GBSHSE Secretary Vidhyadatta Naik explained that it was being issued based on the deliberations that were held with Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (GPCPCR) at their recent review meeting.
GPCPCR Chairperson Peter Borges expressed satisfaction that their recommendations are being implemented.
Naik explained that during that review meeting, the DEIC officials observed that neither the schools nor the students/parents are aware about CWSN (Children with Special Needs) exemptions in a comprehensive manner and that they are not following the correct way of seeking available exemption during their course of studies and examinations.
It was also observed that the current pending load of issuance of certificates is due to the students’ seeking available exemptions at the last minute in Std IX and X at the DEIC.
“This practice is in direct contravention of the existing circulars, where it is stated that students with special needs must have certification at the beginning of IX standard,” said Naik.
“Most schools have cited that the delay in certification is due to delayed appointments with the doctors. Earlier referrals to the DEIC or IPHB (Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour) will help counter his difficulty. The certificate and concessions should not be the only aim, but early intervention and rehabilitation of the child should be given utmost importance,” Naik added.
GBSHSE emphasized that the objective of tracking and periodically screening children who are at the risk of disability is to be able to identify as early as possible those children who manifest a disability to be able to provide them with appropriate early intervention services.
Naik added that GPCPCR has thus recommended new simplified yet comprehensive guidelines, superseding all previous circulars specifying standard operating procedure (SOPs) for the stakeholders and that the guidelines should restrict referrals for certification in X standard and stop the practice of applying for concessions (services of reader/writer/extra time) to X standard students directly.
“Referrals for certification should compulsory happen in elementary years, with teachers being trained to administer screening checklists for students with learning disabilities, entering first standard, i.e. formal schooling and then in middle school years (std V to VII),” read the circular.
“The teachers should administer an available checklist like DALI (Dyslexia Assessment for Languages of India) or the DEIC can provide a comprehensive qualitative checklist for screening. This should be made a compulsory procedure for entry to Secondary Section in all schools so that children are referred to DEIC in early years and due remediation is started for rehabilitation of the child as well as certification can be done at the same time,” Naik added.
The circular further stated that the current referral system, i.e., beginning of IX standard should be changed to VII or VIII standard as certification is required to be completed in the beginning of standard IX,” was another point in the circular.
“Therefore, Head of the Institutions are informed to take appropriate measures and action taken in this regard under intimation to this office,” said Naik, who also directed the schools to bring the contents of the circular to the attention of all concerned and display it prominently on the notice board.