Palestinians learn from Gujrat's inclusive education model for differently-abled

Updated on: Friday, February 03, 2012

It is a nation that has been born out of conflict and has yet to establish a model of education for including the children with special needs. Palestine, the state vying for global recognition as a country, is now looking at Gujarat's education system and its established institutions to take a cue. A team of senior education department officials are on visit of the state to get first-hand experience of how differently-abled children in Gujarat are included in mainstream schools.

A delegation consisting of Shifaa Sabe Ahmed Shaikh, director, special education, Khadija Abbas Darwesh, national coordinator of education for visually impaired, Hana Qaimary, director general of affairs of people with disabilities, all from Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE), are on state visit from February 1 to 4. On Wednesday, the team visited Blind People's Association (BPA) campus at Vastrapur.

Talking about the visit, Bhushan Punani, executive director, BPA, told TOI that Palestine is part of International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) of which he is west Asia regional chairperson. "The team had heard about developments taking place in India and especially Gujarat and had expressed wish to visit the facilities. There are two purposes to the team's visit - observing how the special children are integrated in mainstream and understanding training of educators for special children," he said.

The team will meet senior state officials to get an understanding of educational framework, the facilities and infrastructure for differently-abled and how children with physical or mental disability are educated. The team will also visit schools in Ahmedbad and Kapadvanj to see classrooms in action. The delegates have already visited Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), the apex body for differently-abled in the country at New Delhi.

"Possible collaboration will be discussed after their visit to various facilities," said Punani.

Times of India

More Education news

• Karnataka department of higher education to further strengthen protection to women students and employees
• Heads of government and private schools directed to keep a close watch on the behaviour of teachers
• Chairman of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions submits his report
• Everyone will be given due representation says Goa CM
• Pune Education Department to hold meetings with schools to ensure a smooth RTE implementation
• Health and Medical Education, Forest and Home departments within the ambit of Public Services Guarantee Act
• 'value education' courses in engineering colleges to inculcate better values and character building
• students challenge new NET gidelines
• Proposed multi crore edu city project nearing completion
• 21 engineering colleges affiliated to the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University to seek accreditation
• MBBS and PG medical seats to be increased by 50% and 100% respectively from academic year 2013-14
• M S University's faculty of fine arts mired in controversy over a painting hurting religious sentiment
• IICA inks MoU with Bangalore-based National Law School of India University for forging academic partnership
• President asks private players to contribute in improving the standards of higher education
• First technical and medical university at picturesque Apatani Plateau in lower Subansiri district
• Prayas scheme to be extended to 4 more districts
• Jamia Millia Islamia Professor gets Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Fellowship
• Japans new government will not waive tution fee to pro-Pyongyang high schools
• Most Israeli high school students found accessing Mobile phone during class hours
• UGC notifies the procedure and criteria for declaration of result for NET to be conducted on 30.12.12