PANJIM: The Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in Goa will conduct Access Audit of all educational institutions across the State from July 1.
This initiative aims to align educational institutes with the National Education Policy (NEP) and the provisions outlined in the Rights of Persons with Disability Act, 2016.
State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Guruprasad Pawaskar, emphasised the importance of creating an inclusive society where individuals with disabilities can thrive and said, “Access Auditor will visit all the government schools, government-aided schools, colleges in Goa under the purview of Directorate of Higher Education, including Goa University and submit the report to Directorate of Education for further necessary action. This is line with our endeavour of creating an inclusive society.”
All heads of educational institutions in the State have been directed to extend full cooperation to the representatives to facilitate the completion of the Access Audit, he said.
“The Access Audit of educational institutions in the State will pave the way for an inclusive education system, fostering equal opportunities and empowering individuals with disabilities. It will evaluate the existing infrastructure and conduct interviews with teachers and staff to understand the specific needs and challenges of each institution. The goal is to make education more accessible and inclusive by introducing interventions in physical spaces, learning tools, aids, and technology,” said Pawaskar.
The post-audit changes will involve creating accessible pathways, ramps, railings, tactile paths, Braille and multilingual tactile signs, and accessible toilets. The audit report will also suggest strategies for providing “reasonable accommodations” to students with disabilities, such as relocating classrooms to the ground floor and modifying exam paper formats for students with learning difficulties.
