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Special needs school fills education gap

Locals establish Abhaynagar Autism, Intellectual Disability School in Jashore's Nawapara

Mohsin Milon with Andrew Eagle
Even in the best of circumstances, to have a child on the autism spectrum or a child with an intellectual or physical disability is a challenge for parents. When it comes to schooling, suitable options can be limited, especially outside the big cities. The recently established Abhaynagar Upazila Autism and Intellectual Disability School in Jashore's Nawapara is one institution that aims to fill the gap. Founded by community locals, the school currently caters to 101 students with special education needs.
"My seven-year-old daughter has a physical disability," says Manjuara Begum, the mother of one of the school's students, Monju Khatun. "She was admitted to a government primary school but she was ignored by her classmates. They wouldn't interact with her. My daughter used to cry a lot when she had to go to that school. After we enrolled her in this new school her circumstances improved dramatically. She started to learn new things rather quickly. “
Rehena Begum's seven-year-old son Yehin Hossain, who also has a physical disability, is another of the school's students. "Since being admitted to this school he has learnt to read and write in a short time,” says the mother.
Among the school's students, around half are on the autism spectrum, with a further forty percent divided between children with physical disabilities and those with intellectual disabilities. A few students have speech difficulties or vision impairment.
"There are many children in this area with special needs in terms of education," observes the school's executive committee president, Mosharraf Hossain. "Such children are often victimised in general society. If we can work towards providing them with a good education, we can help them as much as possible to lead independent lives as adults, as valuable community members."
The school is especially thankul to
Monjuara Begum, who currently works as an assistant-teacher there. "In 2014," says the school's headmaster Abdur Rahim, "Monjuara was working with thirty physically-challenged children of her own initiative. She started to raise the money for a building, with the idea of establishing a more formal institution."
The school has four classrooms in a tin shed building, with enrolment numbers on the rise. "Some of the students travel up to eight kilometres to reach us," the headmaster says. "It's hard for them because many are from struggling families; they can barely afford to spend as much asTk 60 per day on transport. Besides that, the school lacks materials. But we are trying."
Rahim notes that while the school's ten teachers and six other employees are all rather dedicated, and although the teachers are proficient in their subjects, none of them have the benefit of specialist training on how to teach children with disabilities. “Our teachers really need such train-
ing," he says, "I have sought government help in this regard."
The school is taught in four classes. For children with more significant physical or intellectual challenges, a 'mother and child' stream is available, where mothers attend alongside their children for added support. There are two pre-primary classes that introduce the children to first class government school textbooks, and a class focussed on vocational training to prepare students for later employment and self-sufficiency.
Students are also engaged with dancing, singing, poetry recitation and physical exercise classes, in much the same way as one might expect at any school.
"This school has been established by locals off their own bat," says the upazila's social service officer Roknuzzaman. "I have been liaising with them on a regular basis, and I am trying to help the school to access government support."