Dehradun: Uttarakhand’s Education Department has directed special educators to coordinate support for students with disabilities across government schools and prepare development plans based on their individual needs and abilities.
Additional Director of Education (Secondary Education), Garhwal Division, Premendra Kumar, has issued instructions to all Block Education Officers and Deputy Education Officers in this regard.
Under the directive, special educators will continue their responsibilities at their assigned schools while also coordinating activities for children with special needs in other schools within their respective development blocks.
The initiative aims to strengthen educational support and promote the academic, physical and skill development of students with disabilities.
Special Educators to Prepare Plans Based on Individual Needs
The department has asked special educators to identify students with special needs and assess their requirements and abilities before preparing suitable development plans.
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The instructions also emphasise making use of the expertise of special educators appointed at both primary and secondary levels to support students across the block.
According to the directive, special educators may be organised into groups, with responsibilities assigned according to their professional skills and experience.
The approach is intended to coordinate available specialist support across government schools rather than limiting assistance to students enrolled at the educators’ own institutions.
Key responsibilities outlined in the directive include:
- Identifying students with special needs across schools within a development block.
- Assessing students’ individual requirements and abilities.
- Preparing development plans tailored to their needs.
- Coordinating educational, physical and skill-development activities.
- Assigning responsibilities to special educators based on their expertise and experience.
Samagra Shiksha Focuses on Inclusive Education
The initiative forms part of the broader efforts under Samagra Shiksha, a government programme that supports school education, including interventions for children with special needs.
The instructions emphasise providing students with disabilities equal opportunities and a supportive school environment so they can progress according to their abilities.
The department has highlighted the importance of using the expertise of special educators to help integrate children with special needs into mainstream education while supporting their academic and broader development.
The proposed block-level coordination is intended to bring together available specialist resources to support students across the schools concerned.
Vacant Special Educator Posts Raise Implementation Concerns
The directive comes amid vacancies in special educator positions across Uttarakhand’s government schools.
The reported district-wise vacancies include:
- Pauri: 38 posts
- Chamoli: 21 posts
- Rudraprayag: 9 posts
- Tehri: 16 posts
- Uttarkashi: 10 posts
- Dehradun: 5 posts
- Haridwar: 16 posts
- Nainital: 21 posts
- Almora: 23 posts
- Bageshwar: 3 posts
Some special educators have raised concerns about how the proposed plans will be prepared and implemented given the shortage of personnel.
The reported figures indicate vacancies across several districts, although the available source does not provide a complete statewide total or specify the number of students who would be covered by the initiative.
Department Seeks Better Coordination for Student Development
The instructions place responsibility on special educators to coordinate support across schools within their respective blocks while continuing their existing duties.
The department has stressed that students with disabilities should receive appropriate educational opportunities and support for physical and skill development.
However, educators have raised questions about implementation in areas where specialist positions remain vacant. The effectiveness of the proposed coordination will depend on the available staff and how responsibilities are distributed across schools.
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