Bangladesh Army plans to set up branches of Proyash, a charitable school of the force to educate and train children and youths with special needs, in all the cantonments.

Headquartered at Dhaka Cantonment, the school has nine branches where 35 percent of the students are from military families while the rest from civilians. The authorities started enrolling children from civilians in 2009.

With "Special child, special rights" slogan, Proyash has already been established as a global standard educational insinuation, Col Shahidul Alam, principal and the executive director, told journalists, who were invited to watch its operation at Dhaka Cantonment yesterday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed them to spread its activities to remote areas, he said.

Tk 15,000 is spent for a child monthly, said Vice Principal Kazi Afroza Sultana, adding that Proyash's day-to-day expenditure and teachers' salaries mainly come from donation of individuals, different organisations and local army units.

Students are assessed by a multidisciplinary team and their special needs are identified at a specialised intervention clinic which takes audiology tests. Later, special Medicare and education are planned.

The institution, set up on 5.44 acres of land at Dhaka Cantonment, has 491 students and 500 more applications are there for admission.

The school is also working to generate awareness about disability in Bangladesh; develop quality teachers, therapists and caregivers; and empower persons with disabilities to ensure equal opportunities and promote a disability friendly society.

Alongside education, the Proyash students are also ahead in sports and extracurricular activities with attaining 26 gold, 15 silver, four bronze medals from 2007 to 2016 by participating in the Special Olympics that enhanced the country's image.