Disabled Students in Normal Schools

An estimated 55,000 physically challenged students will study in normal schools in the new academic year (starts on Sept. 23), as part of the ‘Students’ Integration Scheme’ which aims to help integrate disabled students into society by improving their interaction with normal students. “This year, the Education Ministry has allocated 950 billion rials ($24.3 million) for providing support and transportat acilities to disabled students, particularly in the deprived and border areas,” said the head of the ministry’s Special Education Department, Majid Qadami, Mehr news Agency reported. The schools selected for this purpose have been evaluated for accessibility of the disabled as well as staff preparedness. The Students’ Integration Scheme was approved by the Supreme Council of Education in  2011 and has since been implemented in several cities.

Based on the scheme, the selected schools are obliged to enroll the physically challenged, excluding students with multiple physical disabilities or mental disorders, who should be taken care of in special institutions.