(SECTION A READING 12 MARKS)
12
1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
1 Bucation is the beginning of empowerment. It is a key to happy and satisfactory life for the special
children, who are cruelly segregated from the society. In India, there are around 35 million disabled
children but less than one per cent have access to education. The most pressing need is to bestow the
precious gift of education on them and let them be the bearers of torch towards the path of progress.
2. Special children without education, are a burden on their families as well as society. The crude
discrimination between normal and abnormal children leads to severe psychological disorders, giving birth
to frustration which we all know, is not healthy for any progressing nation. Several NGOs are working
towards the upliftment and betterment of such children, but again a grave problem that is faced by the
volunteers is lack of motivation in such children and even their families. Those who are from the well-to-
do families may not find themselves in this menace, but those belonging to the lower economic section
feel that the effort to obtain education is simply wastage of time and energy not to say anything about
money
1
3. Another factor which is hindering the path of education for such children is the lack of opportunities or
facilities available in schools. Even if the parents do send such children to school, the schools themselves
are sadly lacking the facilities to cater to their needs. The government has started the 'Integrated System
of Education that enables the disabled to study with normal children in normal circumstances with few
facilities for them. Yet again we find psychological barriers amongst impaired children that they cast
themselves in a hard mould. Special schools have also been established by the government and NGOs to
meet specific needs of such children but their number is pitiably low as compared to the normal schools.
4. There is an urgent need to strike at the roots of this neglect to enable the disabled.
1.1. On the basis of your reading of the passage, answer any four of the following questions in about
30 - 40 words each:
8
(a) Who are special children?
(b) Why is education important for 'special children'?
(c) Why should the discrimination between normal and special children be avoided?
(d) What is the hindrance on the path of education for special' children?
(e) What is the difference in mentality between the rich and the poor in educating special children?
the hocico ou
YU
Answers
Any four of the following questions can be answered as follows:
Explanation:
a) Special children can be described as children who have some kind of disabilities in them like hearing impairment, walking disability etc. Due to their disability, they require special attention or care towards them.
b) Education is important for special children so that special children can also lead a happy and content life. Education shall be provided to special children so that they also might have opportunities to have a successful living.
c) Discrimination between the normal and special children should be avoided because by this discrimination, the self esteem of special children is lowered. By such discrimination, the special children get into depression which might lead to other psychological problems for them.
d) The biggest hindrance in the education of such children is that the schools do not have set ups or facilities for these children. Firstly, the parents are hindered in sending these children to school. If they do, then the schools lack facilities for these children.
Answers are given below
(a) Who are special children?
- Special children are that very children who have some kind of disabilities in them. They are cruelly segregated from the society. In India, there are around 35 million disabled children. They require special attention towards them and several NGOs are working towards the upliftment and betterment of such children.
(b) Why is education important for 'special children'?
- Education is very much important for 'special children' because only education can give them happy and satisfactory life. Special children without education, are a burden on their families as well as society, so they need it.
(c) Why should the discrimination between normal and special children be avoided?
- The discrimination between normal and special children be avoided because the crude discrimination between normal and abnormal children leads to severe psychological disorders, giving birth to frustration which we all know, is not healthy for any progressing nation. Moreover they get into depression which is harmful for them.
(d) What is the hindrance on the path of education for special' children?
- The lack of opportunities or facilities available in schools is the hindrance on the path of education for the 'special children '. Even if the parents do send such children to school, the schools themselves are sadly lacking the facilities to cater to their needs.
(e) What is the difference in mentality between the rich and the poor in educating special children?
- The difference in mentality between the rich and the poor in educating special children can be described as those who are from the well-to-do families may not find themselves in this trouble, but those belonging to the lower economic section feel that the effort to obtain education is simply wastage of time and energy not to say anything about money.