By Antony Rithick, Asmita Singh and Sanga Putatunda
ABSTRACT:
Inclusive education in the Indian context is guided by the Government of India, aligning with the global push for educational equity and seeks to ensure that children with disabilities can access and benefit from quality education alongside their peers. Various models fostering inclusive education aim to include children with disabilities into the general classroom to create a richer and more diverse learning environment. This paper explores the significant strides for expanding educational opportunities for children with special needs (CSWN) in rural areas, with special reference to tribal children demonstrating a strong commitment to inclusivity and equity. Policies like Right to Education and initiatives under the Samagra Siksha Abhiyan highlights India’s commitment for inclusivity and integration. Additionally, this paper underscores the roles of the local governments, self-help groups (SHGs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in supplementing education to the CWSN. While substantial progress has been witnessed and despite policy advancements, inclusive education in India faces numerous barriers, particularly in rural areas. Widespread social stigma, limited resources, and a lack of trained educators remain significant hurdles. By addressing these gaps, this study analyses the spheres of improvement, for India to move closer to a truly inclusive education system where every child, regardless of ability or background, has the opportunity to learn and thrive.
INTRODUCTION:
India has made significant strides in expanding access to education in rural areas, with various policies and grassroots initiatives working together to reach underserved communities. Among the most vulnerable are disabled children and tribal children with disabilities, who often face compounded barriers due to both their physical or cognitive challenges and their socio-economic background. In this context, the role of local governments, self-help groups (SHGs), and NGOs becomes crucial. Their on-ground efforts in awareness building, inclusive teacher training, transportation support, and community engagement have started to bring meaningful change. This article aims to explore the multifaceted problems faced by disabled and tribal children with disabilities under the broader framework of rural education, while also highlighting the need for inclusive policies and community driven solutions.
Besides, international mandates and policy proclamations have spurred changes at the national level in India. Over the last 25 years, numerous laws and policies have directly impacted the education of persons with disabilities. Critically important has been the Right to Education Act (Ministry of Law and Justice), which is legally binding, and a 2012 amendment categorized children with disabilities under ‘disadvantaged group’. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (Ministry of Law and Justice [MLJ], 2016), underscored the government’s commitment to inclusive education, stating: Students with and without disability learn together and the system of teaching and learning is suitably adapted to meet the learning needs of different types of students with disabilities (Section 18 of 23). These laws and policies have been implemented through a number of national programs, focusing on different stages of schooling primary (years 1 to 8) and/or secondary (years 9–12).
The most recent, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, oversees the implementation of the Right to the Education Act from preschool to year 12. It has a broader goal to improve school effectiveness in terms of equal opportunities for tribal disabled students, and equitable learning outcomes. This also states that, general school teachers will be sensitized and trained to teach and involve children with special needs in the general classroom. This is not a new idea, as teacher training has been mentioned as a facilitative measure for inclusive.
ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND SELF-HELP GROUPS:
Local Governments through the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) play a pivotal role in fostering education to Children with Special Needs (CWSN). It should be one of the top priorities of PRIs to get every child with disability enrolled into a primary school for their comprehensive evaluation. This is done by a team consisting of a qualified physician, clinical psychologist and a special educator. The process of evaluation also determines the best setting of education suited to each of child – from children with mild to moderate disabilities and severe disabilities joining normal schools and special schools respectively while children who drop out or have problems learning in the normal school have an option to join either an open or remedial school. Some of the initiatives taken under the government of India are:
The Scheme of Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS), under the Samagrah Siksha Abhiyaan, launched in 2009-10, provides assistance for the inclusive education of the disabled children in classes IX-XII. This scheme has now subsumed under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) from 2013. The States/UTs are also in the process of subsuming under RMSA as RMSA subsumed Scheme.
‘Simulation Park’ in Tamil Nadu, under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan have been built to facilitate inclusion where local schools has been involved in building those which can be used by all children. The main aim of this simulation park is to give CWSN and their peers a chance to be able to experience various kinds of play equipment jointly. Since this playground is for the benefit of both disabled and able-bodied children, each BRC in the State has this playground at a low cost. (Sanjeev and Kumar, 2007)
The Child Friendly Panchayat Initiative (CFPI) in Rajasthan, launched by the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department (RDPR) to institutionalize children’s participation in local governance, works on 5 primary principles set out by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Child (UNCRC) including discrimination and respect for the views of the child. This has created space and opportunities for child participation where a proportion of children with special needs actively participate in Bal Sabha and other forums of children.
The Nayanthara Village level SHG in Assam and Sampige Vikalachetanara Sangha in Karnataka exemplified self-reliance achieved through collective action by facilitating education for children with disabilities, these SHGs demonstrate the transformative power of coming together as a community.
The Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) were initiated as a response to the educational disparities faced by tribal communities leverages support to the CWSN.
ROLE OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS:
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) play a crucial role in improving the education of disabled children in India. Despite government initiatives like the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and the Right to Education Act (2009), many children with disabilities face barriers such as lack of infrastructure, trained teachers, and social stigma. NGOs bridge these gaps by providing specialized education, advocacy, and policy recommendations.
Policy Advocacy and Implementation: NGOs actively participate in shaping and implementing policies that promote inclusive education. They collaborate with government agencies to ensure that educational reforms are effectively executed at the grassroots level. NGOs often serve as intermediaries between policymakers and communities, facilitating the translation of inclusive education policies into practice. [Ranjita Dawn]
Community Awareness and Social Inclusion: A major challenge for disabled children is social stigma. NGOs conduct awareness campaigns to sensitize parents, teachers, and the public. Stigma and discrimination limit access to education. NGOs organize awareness campaigns to challenge societal stigmas associated with disability. By educating communities about the capabilities and rights of disabled children, these organizations foster a more accepting and supportive environment.
Teacher Training and Capacity Building: NGOs conduct specialized training sessions for teachers in rural schools to equip them with skills necessary for inclusive education. This training enables educators to address diverse learning needs effectively. A study by Taneja-Johansson and Singal (2021) emphasizes the importance of such capacity-building initiatives, noting that trained teachers are better prepared to create inclusive classrooms that cater to all students, including those with disabilities.
Tribal Children’s Education: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) play a vital role in improving educational opportunities for tribal children in India. These children face several challenges, such as language barriers, poverty, lack of schools, and cultural differences. NGOs work alongside the government to ensure that tribal children receive quality education tailored to their needs.
Addressing Language Barriers: One of the biggest challenges in tribal education is the language gap. Many tribal children speak indigenous languages, but schools primarily teach in regional or official languages. NGOs promote Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) to help children learn in their native language before transitioning to other languages. Geetha B. Nambissan that using an unfamiliar language in education leads to poor learning outcomes and high dropout rates. NGOs like Sikshasandhan and Eklavya work to develop textbooks and teaching materials in tribal languages.
Encouraging Community Participation: Successful education programs involve the local community. NGOs work with tribal leaders and parents to build trust in the education system. The Dhebar Commission (1960) noted that community involvement ensures better enrollment and retention rates in tribal schools. Organizations like Pratham and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan conduct awareness programs to highlight the benefits of education among tribal families.
EXAMINING THE INCLUSIVITY RURAL EDUCATION: THE CHALLENGES OF DIFFERENTLY-ABLED AND TRIBAL CHILDREN:
Lack of Services: In mainstream areas, where there are no issues of access, various stakeholders involved in school education ensure adaptive situations to children with special needs by providing the service of resource teachers, adaptation classes, aids and equipment, home based education and parental awareness. But there are certain marginalized areas where these services are denied due to the problem of access.
Lack of Access: In Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha and Chattisgarh states are a lot of tribal areas where access is still a burning issue. In Idukki, there are a lot of tribal areas where the children are facing a lot of learning issues due to the lack of proper access. In the case of children with special needs in these marginalized areas, they are facing multiple marginalization. They are marginalized due to the problem in access.
Lack of Proper Adaptation Strategies: In Munnar, named as the Southern Kashmir of India for its beauty and geographical elegance, is located at Idukki district of Kerala. Munnar comprises Eight Panchayats including Edamalakudy, the most accessible tribal hamlet in Kerala. Under Munnar educational block, there are about sixty tribal hamlets (kudis). These tribes are segregated groups who differ in behavior patterns and culture from Mainstream Society and face marginalization. Here in children face lack of proper adaptation strategies that will help them to integrate well with the learning process. (Dhanya P Vasu).
In a study of Tenkasi District of Tamil Nadu, the following observations were found:
Lack of specific Training to Teachers: Teachers in India have little to no formal training in working with children with disabilities (Koller et al., 2018; Sharma, 2020). Interestingly, when asked explicitly about their experiences instructing children with disabilities, teachers indicated that they rarely had children with disabilities in their class, only “slow learners” and children with “mental retardation”, even stating “I have not had much training or hands-on experience during my education” etc. This demonstrates a potential knowledge gap regarding the impacts of different disabilities on the diverse learning needs and abilities of children with disabilities. This demonstrates a potential knowledge gap regarding the impacts of different disabilities on the diverse learning needs and abilities of children with disabilities.
Existing Social Stigmas: Teachers acknowledged that perceptions of disability impact inclusion and recognized that children with disabilities are perceived as different, and often stigmatized, by peers, parents, teachers, and other adults in the community. Interestingly, in India, persons with disabilities are less handicapped by their disability than by social attitudes (Srivastava et al., 2017)
Lack of Individualized Education: Individualized education is considered a universal practice by most countries; it is one of the most fundamental tools in the provision of proper education for children with disabilities (Sacks & Halder, 2017). Individualized education is a strategy whereby teachers, parents, support staff and students work together to reach mutually agreed upon learning goals (Jachova et al., 2018). Although teachers expressed a desire to implement individualized education plans, it is not a ground reality that was occurring in India (Sacks and Halder (2017)
SUGGESTED FUTURE DIRECTIONS:
Capacity Building: Capacity-building programs for teachers are necessary to sensitize them to tribal cultures and languages, facilitating better communication and understanding. It is essential to provide teachers with foundational knowledge of all types of disabilities. It was apparent that the greatest teacher training need was specifically for working with children with cognitive disabilities. Therefore, education on cognitive disabilities will enable teachers to recognize the needs of students and select appropriate teaching strategies, thus taking a step towards individualized education (Jachova et al., 2018; Sacks & Halder, 2017; Srivastava et al., 2017).
Accelerate “School Sweet Home” Initiative: In this context of CWSN, the “School Sweet Home” concept is revolutionizing the educational landscape for these students. This concept is designed to create a seamless transition between home and school environments for specially-abled students. This approach emphasizes the importance of a familiar, comfortable, and supportive setting that mirrors the nurturing atmosphere of home. By doing so, it helps reduce anxiety and stress, making it easier for students to engage in learning activities. The major areas of focus includes: Personalized or Individualised Learning Plan, Inclusive Classrooms with adaptive technologies, Collaborative Teaching by teachers, special educators, and therapists and involvement of parents.
Advocating Plans: There can be a possible discontinuation of segregated provisions and work towards a more disability-inclusive education system. This can be done by establishing a clear and strong communication strategy to build awareness of disability inclusive education founded on Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and other international commitments.
Expanding Data and Research: There is an urgent need for empirical data, necessitating tribal-centric research in universities to better understand and address specific educational challenges faced by these communities.
Increasing Community Engagement and Outreach: This is crucial for improving enrolment rates, while ensuring basic facilities such as drinking water, sanitation, and adequate hostel accommodations, particularly in remote areas, is essential.
CONCLUSION:
India’s efforts in creating inclusive educational environments for specially-abled students reflect a growing commitment to ensuring equal opportunities for all. Government initiatives highlight the importance of collaboration between government, educational institutions, non-profits, and communities in building an inclusive society. But the identified challenges in effectively supporting inclusion of children in mainstream schools highlights the need for teachers’ diverse training to enhance knowledge and skills in supporting individual learning needs of children with disabilities. Therefore it is important to evolve with the shifting needs as the stakeholders hold the promise of a more inclusive future where every student, regardless of ability. Further research and collaboration with parents, local stakeholders, and communities will be essential to optimizing school inclusion in rural India.
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