Govt to initiate special programme to facilitate special students of universities: Shafqat
The minister distributed 42 electric wheelchairs among the students of 14 public sector universities
ISLAMABAD (APP) – Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood Thursday said that the government would initiate a special programme soon for facilitating and enhancing accessibility of people with special abilities in educational institutions.
Addressing as chief guest at “Electric Wheelchair Distribution Ceremony,” organized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) under Prime Minister’s Electric Wheelchair Scheme for University Students, he said, “We need to play a leadership role and it is government’s responsibility to facilitate special children in transforming their lives”.
The minister distributed 42 electric wheelchairs among the students of 14 public sector universities.
Chairman HEC,Tariq Banuri, Executive Director HEC Lt. Gen. (Retd) Muhammad Asghar, Consultant CPEC Dr Fateh Marri, student recipients of wheelchairs and their parents, representatives of the universities were also present.
Shafqat Mahmood hoped that all public sector educational institutions would be made inclusive and accessible for special children. He also urged private sector universities to make alteration in their infrastructure to provide more and more opportunities to specially-challenged students.
The minister said that they have yet to acquire more milestones, as a uniform policy for disable citizens is under consideration and be implemented sooner.
While talking to the gathering, the parents of specially-challenged students praised the initiative of distributing electric wheelchairs to disabled students with an objective to facilitate them in their mission to complete their higher education and enable them to contribute effectively towards progress of the country.
Students said that no previous government has taken an initiative of providing electric wheelchairs to the specially-challenged students. The parents of other children have also shared their struggle in up-bringing these children with special needs.
Students requested that in all educational institutions, building of ramps and provision of elevators should be made mandatory for facilitating physically-challenged students.
Earlier, briefing on Prime Minister’s Electric Wheelchair Scheme, Muhammad Raza Chohan, Director General HRD, HEC said that special children need our attention as they are unparalleled part of our society. The present government has identified the need and has launched this programmme worth Rs132 million, he added.
He further informed the audience that a total of 600 electric wheelchairs were to be distributed in three years duration in all regions of the country. Initially, 208 electric wheelchairs were to be distributed among the university students who had applied under the scheme in the year 2018 and were recommended by the evaluation committees of the public sector universities and HEC’s steering committee.
He informed the audience that electric wheelchair distribution ceremony at HEC Secretariat was the central ceremony while 17 university students were given electric wheelchairs in a distribution ceremony held earlier at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro (LUMHS) and in another ceremony held in Chief Minister House, Lahore 20 university students were given electric wheelchairs.
