DIVERSASIA - Best practices

BPF is a voluntary organization working for the assessment, diagnosis, education and rehabilitation of children and adults with disability. Among its various development projects and services for the disabled, education features prominently. BPF runs an inclusive school, "Kalyani" at Mirpur, Dhaka City. Children with intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, speech and communication disorders and hyperactivity attend the school along with other children from the neighborhood.

The school provides non formal education from pre school level to grade 5. Most of the teachers have Masters' degree in psychology and Bachelors in special education. The school has made attempts to provide access to children with mobility difficulties and small ramps and walking rails have been built. There is a warm and friendly relationship among the children. They share a healthy give and take relationship. Care is taken to maintain a happy and related atmosphere in the school. Children with difficulties in learning were seen seated in the front row, close to the teacher.

The classrooms are small and children and teachers cannot move freely. Children sit on benches and share common working tables. Wheelchair users sit near the door. The teachers interact from the front of the classroom standing next to the blackboard. Children's work is displayed in the class and children take pride to point at their own and their friend's work. Children are given responsibilities in the class for winding up activities and were seen putting back teaching aids. participation is sought fro the children during the teaching learning process. Only a few children seated in the front rows were seen responding to the questions asked by the teacher.