DT e-Paper, Thursday, December 15, 2016

17
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2016
DT
should be enrolled in a primary
school. To make the process
more smooth every school’s
headmaster will be required to
attend a five days workshop,
which has already started. Also
there is a budget for providing
assistive devices among students
by the government.”
Dr Mahmudur Rahman,
Professor, Department of Clinical
Psychology, University of Dhaka:
“A basic understanding of human
psychology by the society at large
is very important. A child should
be accepted the way he is. There
is a need of increasing private
and public organisations that can
work jointly for the betterment
of these children. Also I think we
need to have a coherent plan on
the national level.”
Laila Karim, Manager, Advocacy
and Communication, Child
Protection, Save the Children:
“We take disability seriously only
when someone close suffers from
it. Before that it’s a distant matter.
As citizens, everyone should
have the basic knowledge about
disability. The learning shouldn’t
come only when a family member
is afflicted. Also, information
such as where or to whom a
patient should be taken should
become common knowledge.
Communities should get rid of
social stigma about disability
and NGOs should be encouraged
to expand their work beyond
projects.
Shilamoni, Child under school
readiness program, “My one
year duration with mainstream
school was not so pleasant. No
one was willing to understand
my barrier. Yet, no matter what
the circumstance is and will be I
will pursue my education to carry
on with my dream of being self
independent one day.”
Solaiman Mollah, Child enrolled
in mainstream school, “Besides
having lots of friends in my new
school named Confidence Junior
High School, here teachers also
adore me and encourage me to
study.”
Sonia Farzana, Teacher, Alif Ideal
Public School: “Previously we
didn’t have any experience of
teaching special children. Having
worked with SEID, we are now
more knowledgeable about how
to take care and teach them. My
hope is that they will become self
dependent.”
Tania Sultana, Teacher, Adviser
School: “By lending our hand
towards people with disability
and support them in their journey
will enable them to transform
and stop being the “burden” for
the society. We will give our best
to equip them with what they
need. However, the appropriate
authority should look facilitate
their employment.”
A basic understanding of human
psychology by the society at large is very
important. A child should be accepted the
way he is
Parvin Akter, Teacher, SEID,
(Conducted field and school visit),
“During visits in different schools,
we encountered the problems
they face, such as inability to
understand class instruction,
following class routine and many
more. Effectively communicating
with them requires special
effort such as speaking slowly.
Collective efforts of parents
and teachers do bring about
noticeable changes.”
Ms. Nasima Akter, Mother, “I was
terrified by the thought of her
future life, whether she will be
able to attain education or not.
But now she is doing well, much
more attentive in her studies
than before. Although she is now
studying in a mainstream school,
she still gets counselling from
teachers from SEID.”
Shamim Akter Runu, Mother:
“My family had faced immense
difficulties. We didn’t know
where to go, what to do. Since
last year, my child is under SEID’s
supervision. If she gets enrolled
in a mainstream school, she will
no longer be considered a burden
of society. I urge everyone to find
and help people who are still
unaware of facilities like SEID.”•
Photos: Syed Zakir Hossain & Rajib Dhar