Saturday, April 6, 2013

Mentally Retarded Girls want to study – Mainstream Delhi Government School says NO, Go to special school

ALL INDIA PARENTS ASSOCIATION Aggarwal Bhawan, G. T. Road, Tis Hazari, Delhi -110054 M- 09811101923, 9810133325 05/04/2013 To Prof. Ms. Kiran Walia, Education Minister, Government of NCT of Delhi Secretariat, I.P. Estate, New Delhi-110002 Sub: Mentally Retarded Girls want to study – Mainstream Delhi Government School says NO, Go to special school Dear Madam, 2 Muslim girls, namely, Tabassum, 16 yrs and Najmin,13 yrs, both daughters of Tajuddin, r/o House No. A-137, Shastri Mohalla, Patparganj, Delhi (mob 9268134440) suffering from Moderate Mental Retardation (I.Q. 36 & 43 respectively) Disability to the extent of 75% have complained to me that they have been approaching the principal of Sarvodya Kanya Vidyayala, Patparganj, Delhi-91 for the last two months continuously for admission in the school but the principal of the school has denied admission to these unfortunate poor children in violation of their rights under the provisions of RTE Act, 2009. These kids have never attended any school but now they are literally crying to go to school and study. It is unfortunate that despite Hon’ble Delhi High Court Orders in Social Jurist PIL and the provisions of RTE Act, 2009 as well, the Government Schools are denying admissions to the children with disabilities, particularly, when such children are suffering from Mental Retardation, Visual Impairment and Hearing Impairment. It is all shocking that despite Constitutional Guarantee to these children, a State-run school has denied them admission. The principal, instead of granting them admission advised their parents to get them admitted in any special school without realizing that the RTE Act provides them a legal right to study in a mainstream full time school. It appears that the Government is least interested in the education of the children with disabilities, otherwise, it would not have happened. It is a very serious matter. Even after 65 years of independence and three years of RTE Act, 2009, the Government Schools are still not sensitive and child-friendly. It is submitted that the Government has been running some special schools in the city. It would be appropriate for the Government to either convert all such special schools into mainstream schools or close them down as the same are being run in violation of RTE Act, 2009 particularly after 31.03.2013. You are requested to kindly look into the matter and do the needful on urgent basis. With regards, Ashok Agarwal, Advocate National President, AIPA M-09811101923

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