Stop the trend of special schools mushrooming in Bangladesh, autism campaigners ask govt

The massive awareness campaign on autism in recent years has witnessed a ‘mushroom’ growth of special schools in Bangladesh for children with neuro-development disorders.

“Now it is time to stop this trend,” says Sajida Rahman Danny, President of the Parents Forum for Differently Abled that works with the special children.

Ahead of World Autism Awareness Day on Saturday, she called upon the government to set standards for such schools. “Otherwise, children will be affected,” she told bdnews24.com.

This year, the World Autism Awareness Day is themed on “Autism and the 2030 Agenda: Inclusion and Neurodiversity” as the United Nations has linked it with its ambitious agenda of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that promise to leave no one behind.

The UN says autism and other forms of disability are “part of the human experience that contributes to human diversity”.

Mainstreaming disability requires an integral approach in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres, so that “inequality is not perpetuated”.

Danny said the conditions of autism were “very complex and challenging for the parents”.

“There are many aspects of neuro-development disorders, and specific attention is needed for each individual case. It takes skills and materials to address the cases. You have to pay attention to the best way to teach those children.”

Danny continued: “But we are not telling the special schools what basic standards they have to maintain. They (schools) are just mushrooming. I heard the number is over 400.

“If we don’t set the standards or guidelines, then those schools will become money-making ventures. Then anyone will be a teacher. Children will not get appropriate education.”

She said the government is “very sincere” in its work for autism and other disabilities.

“But one cannot expect that they (government) have all the expertise right now to deal this huge issue. Somebody has to tell them what to do and how to do it.”

Autistic children cannot pick up self-care tasks – dressing, self-feeding, and using the toilet– unless someone teaches them. But if they get training they show up with a particular skill.

If they get training, autistic children show up with a particular skill.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a message says it is a lifelong condition that affects millions of people worldwide.  It is not well-understood in many countries, and too many societies shun people with autism.

“This is a violation of human rights and a waste of human potential. I have seen the dynamism and commitment of persons with autism,” he said.

This year's observance of the awareness day focusing on ‘inclusion’ will look ahead to 2030 and highlight the implications of SDGs for improving the lives of people with autism.

Parents Forum President Danny said the inclusion must begin at home.

“We find that parents are not spending on them (autistic children) as much as they are on their other children. They even do not take them out of home for social gatherings.”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the national celebration in the morning at Bangabandhu International Convention Centre while Bangladesh will co-sponsor a UN event in New York.

Her daughter Saima Wazed Hossain Putul, who spearheads the autism campaign for Bangladesh, will speak at the UN event.