As the world celebrates International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, parents of children with disabilities in Jharia expressed their gratitude to the special teachers of a government-owned resource centre for the disabled children. The teachers of the centre took the extra effort to continue the training and exercise session for these children even during the lockdown by reaching their houses. The resource centre was established under the education programme of Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan.
Manoj Singh, physiotherapist of the Jharia-based resource centre, and Akhlaque Ahmad, special educator-cum-speech therapist, during the lockdown, didn’t allow the training and exercises to be discontinued even for a single day for over 20 cerebral palsy affected and autistic children.
Talking to The Telegraph Online on Thursday, Singh said, “Though altogether 109 children are registered at our centre, we were greatly concerned about the well-being of around 20 cerebral palsy affected children, ever since the imposition of lockdown. We used the smartphones to make video calls explaining the exercises and even sent videos of exercises to be carried out regularly through WhatsApp.”
Dr. Manoj Singh conducting online classes for the special children during the lockdown at Jharia., Dhanbad. Picture by Shabbir Hussain
“With the gradual passage of time and improving Covid-19 situation, we started visiting the house of some students occasionally and provide training to them,” further said Singh.
Echoing sentiments, Akhlaque Ahmad, said, “We also carried out training in basic hygiene and cleanliness about these children which is quite crucial for their health.”
“For some children of the economically backward section of the society, whose parents could not afford to have smartphones to avail the online exercise lessons, we had to visit their home and give them the lessons,” said Ahmad.
Akhlaque Ahmad, planting saplings with the special children on the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities at Jharia, Dhanbad. Picture by Shabbir Hussain
Hasina Khatoon, grandmother of a cerebral palsy affected student, Sajjad Ansari (12), who accompanied her grandson during a programme for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities organised at the resource centre on Thursday said, “My grandson could not walk properly and used to fall while walking and also profuse saliva secretion used to take place. Ever since he started training at the resource centre the condition of Sajjad improved a lot and now he plays cricket with the other children of the locality.”
“We are grateful for the help carried out by the teachers of the centre and particularly, Manoj Singh sir and Akhlaque sir who continued the training all through the lockdown and even took the pain of sometimes visiting our house to clarify the exercise steps,” said Khatoon, whose son Imtiyaz Ansari is a daily wage earner.
Sima Devi, the mother of 15-year-old cerebral palsy affected girl Pammi Kumari, said, “We were very disappointed seven years ago when we admitted our daughter to the centre as she could even stand on her own properly but the dedicated efforts of teachers did a miracle for her. Now she not only runs but also sings devotional songs during some of the religious programmes at a nearby temple.”
