A Greater Chennai Corporation camp for out-of-school children with disabilities and special needs has helped 509 children enrol in schools and 263 enter industrial training institutes, as civic officials continued efforts to reconnect identified children with education and skills programmes.
The support camp was held in Chennai on Thursday under the supervision of GCC joint commissioner for education K Karpagam. Officials said the corporation has identified 7,302 out-of-school children. The figures on school and industrial training institute admissions were shared during the meeting and support programme.
The camp focused on children with disabilities and families requiring additional assistance. Officials briefed parents and children on welfare schemes, legal rights, skill development programmes and rehabilitation support available to children with disabilities.
The corporation said 28 children with disabilities and special needs required additional support. Psychologists conducted individual counselling sessions with children and parents to assess educational, psychosocial and family-related needs.
The counselling was intended to help officials and families understand the barriers affecting each child’s education and welfare support. The civic body did not provide a further breakdown of the 7,302 children by age, neighbourhood, disability status or current educational pathway in the information available.
The camp forms part of the corporation’s efforts to follow up on children who are outside formal schooling and connect them with schools, industrial training institutes and relevant welfare or rehabilitation services. Further support and enrolment steps are expected to be coordinated through the corporation’s education administration and the families who attended the programme.
