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A student may be considered ‘differently abled’ developing early life skills and their physical and students will be transferrable and can help them
if there are physical, emotional, or cognitive emotional development through academic and in whichever country they may eventually return
developmental challenges present as certified therapeutic programs; the senior most students to or reside in.
by medical reports. The severity of the child’s mostly attend open schooling programs that will The society is bound by God’s will to take special
condition determines the level and type of help them pass certification examinations that care of these students. Now it is up to each one
intervention required. It also helps the parents can then place them in colleges or put them on of us to open up our hearts and minds to ensure
determine the educational and therapeutic a path of vocational training leading to potential that these children and youth are not looked
support options available for the child. While employment and self-sustainability. down upon, but given every opportunity so that
some students who may have physical challenges they can reach their full potential and become
and mild developmental or cognitive and Students at the center attend classes that begin value adding members of the society they live in.
intellectual challenges could find admission in the with an assembly where a student leads others Only then will the spirit of inclusiveness be fully
mainstream schools, most others are required in basic physical exercises and warm up, reads evidenced. Only then will we be able to make this
to seek services of centers that provide special out some important news for the day, leads in world a more humane place to live in.
education and therapeutic interventions. a generic prayer for the wellbeing of all, and
then heads off into their respective classes. This
routine has been slightly modified due to recent
Covid restrictions, but is an essential part of the
day. In classes, they receive academic programs
based on each child’s Individual Education
Plans (IEP) which are developed at the start
of each term by a cross functional team of
academicians and therapists and discussed and
agreed with the parents before implementation.
The progress of each child based on their IEPs
is monitored and reported regularly. Each child
is also assessed to identify therapeutic needs
related to speech therapy, occupational therapy,
behavioural therapy, and physiotherapy. Students
are taken out of class to attend individual and
group therapy activities at specified times. This
is also complemented by programs aimed at a
well-rounded development such as yoga, karate, Isn’t that what we all want for our children and
In the recent past, mainstream schools in Qatar football, sports therapy and others at HOPE future generations?
have been mandated to provide admissions Qatar. The group activities are carried out in strict Dr. Rajeev Thomas is a Passionpreneur with a
to the differently abled students who meet accordance with the protocols established by the strong track history of over 25 years of successful
the admission criteria for these schools. The relevant ministries and local authorities. strategic advisory and corporate consulting
challenges faced by such schools vary from engagements internationally. He is a motivational
infrastructural modifications to need for However, not all differently abled children speaker, life coach, awarded author, corporate
additional support staff to provide care for are alike. Some of them have more profound trainer, blogger, podcaster and social media
such students. However, the greatest challenge challenges including sever physical disabilities influencer who inspires the youth to be the
faced by them would be that of stigma and and intellectual challenges. Some of them can change this world needs. He is also founder of
unwillingness by other students and their parents not manage their own activities and will require HOPE Qatar Centre for Special Needs which
to welcome a differently abled child into their constant assistance At HOPE Qatar, such children he established together with his wife, out of a
midst. Unfortunately, when this differently receive the Assistive Intervention Program that personal need to meet the educational needs of
abled child is unable to adapt to being ‘looked combines intensive therapeutic activities with his differently abled son. More details about him
at differently’ by other children and sadly fundamental academic skills based on each can be found on: www.RajeevThomas.in
sometimes the teachers who have not been child’s abilities and IEPs.
sensitized sufficiently, they exit the mainstream Qatar has come a long way in the last
school and seek admission in special education 15 years with regards to educational
centers. opportunities for children and young adults
with special needs. According to a survey
conducted by PSA in 2016, there are 27
centers available for the differently abled
children in Qatar as compared to only 2 in
2005. This number would have increased
further by 2022. This provides a wider range
of opportunities for education and therapy to
the differently abled children in Qatar.
But the big question remains as to what
happens to these children after they
complete their education in these ‘special
schools’? Beyond a certain age they would
have outgrown the programs currently
offered. They would be back to their homes
with nothing to do. Though the law stipulates
reservation of jobs for the differently abled
It is a major reprieve to parents of such children in government and private sector, most of
that special education centers such as HOPE these are taken up by physically challenged
Qatar Centre which was established about 16 individuals. What about the intellectually
years ago in Qatar by parents of a differently challenged?
abled child functions today, providing them
with a ‘near school environment’. Many of the With this in mind, HOPE Qatar Center is
special education centers in Qatar today have currently working on developing a full-fledged
a similar story where the parents took it upon Vocational Training Division that will enable
themselves to create opportunities for their differently abled youth above 18 years to venture
children and others who could not receive the into an employment-based skill development
educational and therapeutic services that the program that will see them ready to take up
differently abled children deserve right from a jobs within their might in a few years’ time. The
very early age. HOPE Qatar centre for special graduates from this program will be aligned
needs which is supervised and approved by to labour market requirements in Qatar, and
the Ministry of Education and Higher Education HOPE Qatar will partner with hand-picked
provides its services to children from the age of companies in which the staff and management
3 to 25. While the younger children receive early will be sensitized to handling such differently
intervention programs that focus extensively on abled employees. The skills imparted to these
EDUCATION 41
DURING THE PANDEMIC
