GCC plans centres for children with intellectual disabilities

Chennai: Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is planning to establish dedicated centres at its schools to offer specialised education and therapy for children with intellectual disabilities.The facility will include dedicated rooms for physiotherapy and therapy sessions, along with specialised equipment. Officials said the centres will follow a structured timetable that support the holistic development of children.Officials said one centre will be set up in each region – North, Central and South – to improve access to education, therapy and support services for children with developmental, intellectual and other special needs. The facilities will function alongside existing GCC schools.Joint commissioner (Education) K Karpagam said the civic body will identify suitable schools after consulting with the social welfare department and mapping the concentration of children with intellectual disabilities in different parts of the city. “To ensure regular attendance, GCC will provide vehicles for pick up and drop,” she said.According to GCC education department officials, the centres are being planned to create a more inclusive environment. State general secretary of Tamil Nadu Association for the Rights of All Types of Differently Abled and Caregivers (TARATDAC) B Jhansi Rani said, “Only children with certain intellectual disabilities require special schools. Children with physical disabilities should be integrated with other students. Otherwise, it may become difficult for them to mingle with society,” she said.Parents have also welcomed the proposal. Divya Sre, mother of seven-year-old Pranav J, who has hearing and speech impairments, said, “For every therapy session, we spend around ₹7,000. Admissions to special schools are often expensive. Govt-run centres are more reliable,” she said.