Yogi government making coordinated efforts for a better

future for over 71,000 children from classes 1 to 8

Lucknow, Oct 30 (HS): The

Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Uttar Pradesh,

organized a grand state-level teacher training program in the capital, Lucknow,

as part of the Dyslexia Awareness Campaign. The main objective of this special

training program is to identify children affected by dyslexia (Specific

Learning Disability) in the state's schools at the early stage, meet their

specific educational needs, facilitate a disability certification process, and

sensitize teachers and related stakeholders towards inclusive education.

Inaugurating the program, Uttar Pradesh State Commissioner

for Persons with Disabilities, Professor Himanshu Shekhar Jha, stated that

children with dyslexia generally have a very high IQ. He added that dyslexia is

an invisible disability, due to which its recognition and awareness

in society remains limited. There is a need to sensitively understand the

unique learning styles and needs of these children. All sections of society,

including teachers and parents, must work together to integrate these children

into education and mainstream society. He underlined that the Yogi government

is continuously striving for the all-round development of children with

disabilities and to provide them with equal opportunities.

In his address, Dr. Amit Rai, the program's special guest

and Deputy Director of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with

Disabilities, said that the Uttar Pradesh government is working seriously to

ensure quality education for children affected by dyslexia, easy issuance of

disability certificates, widespread public awareness, and necessary human

resource development. To achieve this goal, the Department of Empowerment of

Persons with Disabilities is taking effective steps by establishing

inter-departmental coordination with the Basic Education and Secondary

Education Departments, and reputable expert institutions working in this field.

Amresh Chandra, a consultant with ChangeInc Foundation,

shared important facts while providing training as a dyslexia expert at the

training session. He explained that according to UDISE data, approximately

71,000 children in grades 1 to 8 in Uttar Pradesh have been identified as

affected by Specific Learning Disability (SLD). He emphasized that for a bright

future for these children, large-scale teacher training, timely screening and

identification, remedial educational support, and a simplified and robust

certification process are essential. To this end, voluntary organizations

providing technical support, special educators, the Department for Empowerment

of Persons with Disabilities, and the Department of Education must work

together to ensure children receive their legal rights and equal opportunities.

Special educators and general educators from various

districts of the state participated in this state-level training program.

During the training, teachers were trained to understand the behavioral

symptoms of dyslexia, identify children in the classroom, and adapt teaching

methods to suit their unique learning pace.

Deepak Jaiswal and Sanjay Kumar, in-charge of the Training

Centre of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, had a

special contribution in the successful coordination and organization of the

program.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi