Inclusive Education

(Pic- Colloquium on incluive education by volunteers.)

Inclusive education means that all students in a school regardless of their caste, class, gender and disability become part of the community of learners.
In 2007 CRY volunteers came together, wanting an education system where children with and without disabilities can study together. - restructuring of curriculum for helping disabled children and suitable changes in the examination system.
A fact finding survey in Kolkata revealed that: 50% of Govt schools and 36% of the private schools are not aware of the 3% reservations for disabled children.Only 38% of the government schools and 36% of the private schools are aware about the PWD Act.
(Pic- Volunteers at a debate in Oxford bookstore on teacher's Day)

The volunteers and Sruti DisAbility Rights Centre started on their journey to create a barrier-free educational environment. Presently, 30 volunteers (from 7) including committed students, young professionals, teachers, homemakers are named “Campaigners for Inclusion”.

The group’s demands are: No child is denied admission in mainstream education because of disability.

1. 3% reservation for the disabled during admission is ensured.
2. Changes of buildings, rules and attitudes to ensure an inclusive school system.
3. Changes in course content and examination system (e.g: no graphs and geometry for the blind), making it inclusive.

The volunteers have collected data on the appalling status of inclusion in both government and private schools of Kolkata; They circulated information to build public pressure, negotiating with the Disability Commissioner, Hon Governor of West Bengal and other concerned authorities to highlight the gap between existing policies and the reality; PIL was filed demanding 3% reservation and barrier free environment in all government schools; They wrote letters to the editor, designed posters, rehearsed for street play and organized signature campaigns; They conducted access audits in educational institutes to examine how disabled friendly they are; The Metro Railway Department, a National Law School and a private school seriously took their recommendations to make a barrier free environment.