Brahmapur: ILH to help kids with special needs

Brahmapur: Marking a significant step towards inclusive education in South Odisha, Delhi Public Senior Secondary School (DPSSS), Brahmapur, inaugurated its Inclusive Learning Hub (ILH) on the occasion of Teachers’ Day on Friday. The initiative is a joint collaboration between DPSSS and Team AGILITY. Children with autism, ADHD, developmental delays, speech and hearing difficulties and sensory processing disorders will undergo screening by psychologists and receive assistance from occupational and speech therapists and special educators on the school campus.

Odisha Transport, Commerce and Steel & Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, who attended as chief guest, inaugurated the facility. Prabhas Ranjan Tripathy, Professor and Medical Superintendent of AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, was the guest of honour. The ceremony was attended by DPSSS Chairperson J Jayalakshmi, Directors J Sruti and Sunil Kumar Kota, Principal Baikuntha Nath Pattanayak, and Team AGILITY Founder Directors Prabir Kumar Senapati and Priti Snigdha Panda, besides parents, teachers and staff.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Jena said the ILH would create a nurturing educational environment where every child, irrespective of ability, gets an opportunity to learn, grow and realise their potential with dignity. He appreciated DPSSS for taking the initiative, describing it as a pioneering effort in South Odisha.

Tripathy stressed the need for more empathetic initiatives to address the educational and developmental needs of children with special needs. He appreciated the collaboration between DPSSS and Team AGILITY for providing such support to children and families in South Odisha. The ILH has been designed to promote the academic and holistic development of children with special needs through specialised guidance, therapeutic support and inclusive educational practices.

According to the organisers, the facility is the only school-based centre of its kind in South Odisha and the second in Odisha, offering an integrated platform to help children with special needs gradually participate in mainstream academic activities. The inauguration marked the beginning of a collaboration aimed at fostering confidence, academic growth and holistic development among children with special needs.

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Sunil Mohan Patnaik

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