KATHMANDU: Educationists today stressed the need for learning centres for children with learning disabilities so as to identify their strengths and weaknesses.

Speaking at the concluding ceremony of a four-day workshop-cum-seminar on learning disabilities jointly organised by Shuvatara School and Centre for Child Development and Disabilities here today, Chitra Prasad Devkota, director, Department of Education, said the number of dropouts was on the rise due to the failure to recognise learning deficiencies of children.

“The guardians, teachers and fellow learners are often unaware of the difficulties such children face. They try to impose their desires on the children, which ultimately results in dropout and frustration among the kids,” said Devkota.

He said the government had resource centres for mentally unsound children as well as those with aural difficulties.

The DoE director called on Special Education Council to address the issue effectively. Stating that such children needed love and care, he said, “The private sector should lend its support as the government alone cannot manage the learning centres.”

Rani Gurung Kakshapati, principal, Shuvatara School, said, “We can help the children with learning disabilities if the government supports us in setting up learning centres to manage specially imparted education for them.”

She hoped that a government-to-government collaboration would help

establish a link with Edu Sat, the only Indian

satellite dedicated to the development of education in the world.

Such a link would facilitate online classes in schools in the remote areas.

Two renowned doctors from Bangalore — Dr Nandini Mundkur and Dr Chitra Sankar — also spoke on the occasion. Dr Mundkur, an award-winning paediatrician, said about 10 to 18 per cent children have some kind of learning disability.

Bhoj Bahadur Shah, president, Private and Boarding Schools’ Organisation Nepal, said the government should join hands with the private sector while training teachers in the skills.