The HRD Ministry has ordered all the schools in the country to reimburse the expenditure incurred on books, uniforms and transport of children with disabilities. While speaking at an award ceremony, Minister of State for HRD Satyapal Singh on Sunday said that just one per cent of all disabled children go to school and the way to enhance the numbers is through empowering them.
Singh said the directions have been issued to “all the schools in the country that all the expenditure incurred on books, uniform and transport will be reimbursed by the government”.
“Specially-challenged people just do not need courtesy and compassion, but real empowerment which would come through education. How to ensure it is a big challenge,” he said at the Helen Keller Awards, 2018. The award ceremony was organised by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People and Mindtree.
Mr.Singh further noted that there are about 12 million people with disability and just one per cent goes to schools. “It is one of the top most priorities for this government to make sure that the rights of specially challenged people are ensured,” he said.
He also emphasized that there is a need for ambassadors fighting for the rights of the disabled people. “In my capacity as minister for higher education, I commit my support to ensure accessibility, in all respects across all our institutes of higher education, so that more and more people with disabilities will break the glass ceiling as employees, employers and entrepreneurs,” said Singh.
Apart from this, he also announced that the girl child will be given Rs 200 per month.“The government from this academic session has also issued directions that there will minimum 5 per cent admission in all educational bodies”, he said.