Minister for Social Welfare, Mr. Sajjad Gani Lone today informed the House that Government has established one residential school for blind at Roopnagar Jammu with an intake capacity of 25. He said a Composite Regional Centre has been also established at Srinagar by Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for special education of persons with disabilities.Replying to a question by Ms Anjum Fazili, the Minister said that there are 18 schools for specially abled children functioning in the state that are operated by various non-government organizations.
The Minister said that instructions have also been conveyed to School Education Department and Higher Education Department from time to time to make all the public buildings including schools/colleges / universities disabled friendly so that the specially-abled are able to access the existing school / colleges for education.The Minister informed that 30237 children with special needs (CWSN) have been identified during last fiscal and out of them 24363 have been enrolled in government schools. He said similarly, 59 CWSN girls have also been enrolled in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidalaya. He said besides this regular schooling, home based education is being provided to CWSN by Resource Teacher engaged under Sarva Shikasha Abhiyan.