Social Awareness

NCPEDP and National Disability Network hold a National Consultation on National Curriculum Framework

NCPEDP organized a National Consultation with the National Disability Network (NDN) around the development of the National Curriculum Framework in the area of School Education, Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), Teacher Education and Adult Education. The Consultation saw the participation of persons-with-disabilities, such as organizations of persons-with-disability, sector experts, and the NCERT.

NCERT in its notification dated 28th December 2021 notified about the Constitution of the National Focus Groups for developing Position Papers on various themes to provide inputs for the National Curriculum Frameworks in the area of School Education, ECCE, Teacher Education and Adult Education. 25 themes in consonance with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 have been identified to develop position papers both at the National and State level.

However, based on information available in the public domain it was observed that adequate representation of persons with disabilities in the National Focus Groups formed was missing. Since the National Curriculum Framework is an exercise which is going to influence the quality of education for generations to come, the National Consultation was organized to discuss the pressing issue.

Dr. Sruti Mohapatra, Member- National Focus Group, Inclusive Education chaired the Consultation and apprised the participants on the importance of inclusion of persons with disabilities across all the 25 Focus Groups and not limited to Inclusive Education group only.

Mr. Arman Ali, Executive Director, NCPEDP noted that, “For the first-time children/persons with disabilities find mention in the NEP 2020 right from ECCE up to higher education after continuous perseverance from the entire disability sector. The NCF provides the disability sector with another opportunity to come together and emphasize that disability is cross-cutting issue across all themes and not limited to Inclusive Education.”
Some other important observations that emerged from the discussion included conducting a focus study on all the existing Government schemes promoting inclusive education as well as re-examining budgetary allocations for the same and addressing the diverse needs of disability groups and the importance of flexible curriculum for inclusive pedagogy. Other significant themes which were discussed included universal design learning methods to be incorporated for inclusive education and accessibility should not be limited to infrastructure only but must be included in the curriculum and the digital education spectrum as well. It was also observed by experts that concerns of children with intellectual disabilities should be included in the mainstream instead of being marginalized.
Dr. Mohapatra and Mr. Ali as a way forward remarked that a parallel position paper from the NDN will be presented to the National Focus Group on Inclusive Education, National Curriculum Framework.
About National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP):
Registered in 1996, the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) is the country’s premier cross-disability, not-for-profit organisation working as an interface between Government, Industry, International Agencies and the Voluntary Sector towards empowerment of persons with disabilities. Its mandate is simple – to encourage the employment of people with disabilities, increase public awareness on the issue of disability, empower people with disabilities with knowledge, information and opportunities and ensure easy and convenient access to all public places. NCPEDP works on six core principles, also called the six pillars of the organization, namely: 1) Education; 2) Employment; 3) Accessibility; 4) Legislation/Policy; 5) Awareness/Communication, and 6) Youth.
About NDN:
NDN or ‘National Disability Network’, (NDN) the first of its kind in India was formed in 1999. It consists of members from every State and Union Territory, the main goal of the Network has been to promote local advocacy groups and build leadership in the disability sector; to facilitate local advocacy groups to join hands with state-level groups and eventually form a national network that will act as a pressure group to influence meaningful policies at various levels – village, block, district, state and national.
About NCRPD:
The National Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was constituted by NCPEDP in 2008, as a think tank that could plan strategies and develop advocacy campaigns for the inclusion of disability into the national agenda. The Committee has designed and led NCPEDP’s key advocacy campaigns, playing a central role in bringing disability to the forefront of national consciousness. Its efforts have been instrumental in drafting milestones in policies such as the Bill on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the National Policy on Universal Electronics Accessibility. The Committee’s current focus is on improving accessibility, with advocacy efforts ongoing with the Ministries of Railways, Communications & Information Technology, Information & Broadcasting, Housing and Urban Affairs and NSSO.

This article was shared with Prittle Prattle News as a Press Release.

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