Higher education institutions in K-P told to implement policy

Special package to help bring differently-abled students into mainstream

PESHAWAR: Following directions from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, the Higher Education Department of the province has told the heads of all public sector higher education institutions to implement a special package for differently-abled students in the province.

The directions were issued to ensure that differently-abled children are brought into the mainstream.

All vice chancellors, higher education directors and director generals of commerce education and management sciences have been directed to ensure that the package is implemented.

The package includes an age relaxation of up to 10 years for differently abled students for obtaining admission in any higher education institution in the province along with waiving off all institutional charges including tuition and hostel fees and utility bills.

The package also provides for the creating special pathways, toilets, and other basic facilities by retrofitting existing buildings. Moreover, the inclusion of these facilities will be ensured in all new constructions on campus. In this regard, the chief planning officer of the higher education department (HED) and C&W have been directed to coordinate to ensure the construction of these facilities in newly built college buildings.

Moreover, transportation will also be provided to differently-abled students to enhance their mobility within the premises of their institutions.

The HED and the Commerce Directorate General have also been directed to set up a help desk to provide information regarding the implementation of special package facilities to differently-abled people.

Minister for Higher Education Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani said that these reforms will ensure that differently-abled students in the province are provided with greater educational opportunities so that they can also play an effective role in the society as responsible citizens.

While commenting on the initiative, HED Secretary Zafar Ali Shah stated that the government will reserve a two per cent quota for differently-abled students in their annual admission policy.

To bring the differently-abled into the mainstream and turn them into decision-makers, Shah said that it was vital to ensure that future plans are sustainable for a greater proportion of citizens.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2017.