by Rohi Jan
Persons with disabilities have shown exemplary performance in the recent 10th and 12th class results announced by the JKBOSE.
In Kashmir, finishing the tenth, or twelfth grade is no small accomplishment, particularly for a disabled individual. The hardships and victories of these extraordinary people are frequently overlooked, and their tales are seldom shared. Nevertheless, their accomplishments should be recognised, not just as evidence of their tenacity but also as a reminder of the structural adjustments required to facilitate their education. Most of the children with some form of disabilities who appeared in the recent exams performed beyond societal expectations by securing well over 80 per cent grades.
Four Folded Challenges
The journey of visually impaired students in Kashmir is challenging. How did they read the curriculum, comprehend it, and then retain it? How could they take notes like a person in good health?
It is crucial to delve into the details of their daily problems and the creative methods they overcome them to fully appreciate the scope of their successes. One of the biggest obstacles facing a blind student is getting access to textbooks and other reading materials. Because traditional print media is inaccessible, alternate formats are required, such as audiobooks, digital text that can be viewed with a screen reader, or Braille. These resources are not readily available in Kashmir.
How would a pupil learn if they had no hands? To write and operate electronics, they might use their feet or assistive devices. Although their tenacity and flexibility are admirable, they experience physical discomfort and exhaustion that their counterparts who are able-bodied do not. Communication is a major hurdle for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. They may communicate through writing, sign language, or assistance technology. To engage with them successfully, peers and teachers must be prepared, yet this calls for knowledge and training that are frequently lacking.
Getting a scribe is one of the biggest problems disabled children in Kashmir have when taking the board exams. These kids suffer greatly as a result of the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education’s (JKBOSE) inability to streamline the process of assigning scribes for students with disabilities. For many impaired students, an amanuensis, or scribe, is necessary for them to finish their exams.
However, the stress and challenges these students already experience as a result of their disabilities are made worse by the lack of prompt and sufficient scribe service. Filled with bureaucratic obstacles, the procedure of hiring a scribe is difficult. To establish the necessity for a scribe, students and their families are frequently asked to submit copious amounts of evidence; yet, even this is not always the case.
Disabled students are thus placed at a significant disadvantage in comparison to their peers as they are forced to manage their tests without the assistance they need. Their performance and emotional state may suffer due to the immense pressure of maybe not having a writer.
School-based inclusive education is non-existent in Kashmir. Students with disabilities are not admitted to any school. Numerous disabled people are denied access to education as a result of this admission denial. Most parents are upset, saying that their disabled children have no educational options since local schools will not accept them.
The fact that our government appears to disregard the needs of disabled people as though they are not a part of society is a serious shortcoming that this issue brings to light. In a desperate attempt to get an education for their impaired children, some parents turn to begging the school administration. To become independent and self-sufficient, they hope that education will help their kids.
There is a problem with inclusive education, which is a reflection of larger neglect in society. While schools are meant to be secure environments for learning and growth, some of the most marginalized people in our society are being turned away.
Parental Challenges
Ensuring their child gets an appropriate education is a huge problem for parents of disabled children. Their child’s needs are frequently not met by the system they have to traverse. For their child’s rights, parents frequently have to fight nonstop, demanding the resources and allowances that their children require. It can be emotionally taxing and tiresome to advocate for causes. The emotional and financial burden of raising a disabled kid can be great.
Accessible technology, counselling, and specialist training can come at a high cost. To support their child’s education at home, parents are essential. Their needs could include extra instruction, emotional support, and assistance with schoolwork.
It’s frequently a difficult battle for parents of children with disabilities. The challenges people with disabilities encounter are exacerbated by the stigma that society attaches to them. These parents have limited options when schools deny their children entrance. They frequently lack the resources necessary to offer substitute types of instruction. This results in a vicious cycle of marginalization and exclusion that is difficult to escape.
A Bit of Change
Nevertheless, we are witnessing some changes in education and society in Kashmir. JKBOSE is trying its best to streamline the guidelines for these exams and make scribe facilities simpler. Because of the social media and efforts of some journalists, society is also appreciating the performance of such persons. Some teachers are going beyond their official duties to help such persons overcome challenges, which makes a positive impact on their lives.
However, the issue at hand is complex, encompassing governmental regulations, cultural norms, and educational establishments’ readiness to change and become fully inclusive. It is not only a question of policy to address these issues; it is also morally required to guarantee that every person, regardless of ability, has the chance to realize their full potential.
(Rohi Jan is a PhD scholar at the Zakir Husain Centre for Educational Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University. Ideas are personal.)
