Ram Prasad BK is a tenth grader at the Tulsipur-based Gurujajur Secondary school. It means that he is preparing for the School Education Examination (SEE) this year. He carefully listens to teachers' lectures in classroom and takes part in other school activities as well. But his standpoint is different to those of general students as he is a student with low vision.
Students like of BK are expected to be given more preference and facilities for the convenience in teaching and learning activities. Irony to this assumption, curricula prepared for students with low visions arrive late here.
General students get textbooks on time or with the beginning of the academic session (the academic calendar begins in mid April in Nepal), while students with different abilities have to wait for till August-September to get the books.
"Until we get textbooks, students like us attend the class just to listen to teacher's lectures. In such period, we could not spend time for study at home as other students, he said. Teacher Ram Bahadur Khadka who himself is a person with low vision said that special students face challenges in their study as they are deprived of timely textbooks.
Because of the same reason, their classes normally get postponed.
Besides, printed copies of textbooks for higher classes students with low vision are not available and this also causes inconveniences for such a section of students, they are solely depend on others (teacher's lectures, and audio clips or need an assistant) for study. Self-study is challenging for them in such condition.
Another teacher Kushal Tamang with low vision insists that questions on Braille scriptures should be prepared for them. Presently, general students and those with a special physical condition get the same questions and later are dependent on others to know about exam questions.
Visually impaired students should not be treated at persons with other sorts of physical disabilities. Their condition is different, Tamang asserted. The Gurujajur Secondary School and Adarsha Secondary School Lalmatiya, Lamahi conduct classes for low-vision students. These schools have managed hostel facilities for them. The Gurujajur has hired three special teachers for 30 students and the Adarsha has one teacher for 10 students. Timely allocation of budget for persons with low-vision is also their demand.
