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Picture Credit: Ruchita Sahukari
'Disabled Children Are Giving Up On Their Dreams,' Ruchita's Fight For Accessible Infrastructure At Schools
India, 15 Jun 2022 8:40 AM GMT
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A 21-year-old fighting battle with a rare genetic disease calls for an inclusive infrastructure in schools and colleges for the disabled. Access to education for disabled students has become challenging.
A 21-year-old, Ruchita Sahukari, is suffering from a rare genetic disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which makes the bones fragile and break easily. This makes it challenging for her to commute from one place to another on her stand. Despite a rare disease, she didn't lose her self-belief to achieve milestones in life.
Ruchita is pursuing her Bachelor's Degree in Arts through distance education. She said, "My education has been challenging because of lack of awareness among the public and also inaccessible infrastructure in schools. But that hasn't stopped me from following my dreams."
Need For Inclusive Infrastructure
Ruchita added that the country lacks in providing public amenities as most of the places in the country are not constructed to be disabled-friendly, making her feel more disabled. The challenges not only kept exclusive for Ruchita, but the total 2.1 per cent of India's disabled population faces similar issues, equal to nearly 22 lakh people.
In 2019, the State of the Education Report for India: Children with Disabilities highlighted that nearly 27 per cent of students with disabilities have never attended an educational institution. Several countries across the globe, including Australia, New Zealand, and Germany, have made schools and tourism accessible to all.
Her Request To Policy Makers
Ruchita has requested the policymakers to note a few things that will enable students with disabilities to attend educational institutions. She said, "Make our classrooms on the ground floor of school and college buildings. Also, introduce elevators in school and college buildings, and set up ramps and disabled-friendly access points for water and washrooms."
Education A Fundamental Right
Ruchita added that in a country like India, which functions in the direction of its constitution, education is a fundamental right for all children, whether they are finely abled or disabled. She said, "There is no perfect time to begin with unless we are committed to bringing change at this moment rather than waiting for the right time."
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