Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Jul 8: Dakshina Kannada District Special Teachers Association for the Mentally-challenged has demanded for shifting of all the educational institutions for special children, now functioning under the directorate for the welfare of the disabled, to the department of education.

Secretary of the association Vasant Kumar Shetty, speaking at a press conference here on Monday July 7, said that the state had about four lac mentally-challenged persons and about 170 educational institutions meant for the special children.

The 3,000 odd teachers engaged in these schools suffer from low salaries and job insecurity, he explained. He demanded for extension of all facilities for which the teaching and non-teaching staff of the government schools are eligible, to be extended to the staff working in special schools too.  The association wants the scheme of mid-day meals, free uniforms, training equipments etc., to be extended to special schools also. Shetty also demanded free bus passes for the mentally-challenged persons and also to those who escort them in KSRTC buses.

Monthly pension for such persons should be increased to at least Rs 1,000 he demanded. A state level conference of special teachers and non-teaching staff of special schools will be held in Manipal on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 to press for meeting of their demands and also to form a state-level organization, he explained.