Train teachers to guide special students, says President

Every teacher should be given special training on imparting education to special students, President Ram Nath Kovind said.

"Such special training will enable the teachers to understand the needs of divyang (differently-abled) students and take necessary steps for their empowerment," he said on Sunday while addressing a function organised to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The President's suggestion comes at a time when the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has set up a committee to formulate a policy for education of children with special needs.

At the function, the President also presented national awards for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities to 52 winners, which included individuals and organsations, under 14 different categories. While IBM India Private Limited, Bengaluru, and Indore-based Apna Sweets Private Limited bagged national awards for best employers, the selection committee did not find any of the government organisations or public sector undertakings (PSUs) eligible to receive the award under best employer category.

The Samarthanam Trust For the Disabled, Bengaluru, and the Society Welfare of Disabled, Mangaluru, received awards under the category of best institutions for providing "holistic comprehensive" services to people with disabilities and promoting inclusive education to differently-abled, respectively.

Bengaluru's Bhavani Shankar Ravindera and S J Rajalakshmi bagged awards under the locomotor disability/cerebral palsy category for being role models to others. Bengaluru's S K Paul Kumar also received the Best Role Model award under blindness/low vision category.

Shekhan Naik from Bengaluru got best sportsperson with disability award in the men's male category.