Kerala child rights body demands introduction of strict guidelines for children with ADHD at schools

The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has sent a directive to Director of General Education asking to introduce strict guidelines for children with ADHD in mainstream schools along with maintaining a record of the number of children in every school. This was after a complaint being lodged by a parent who has a son with ADHD.

For a child who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), attending school and writing exams is not easy. In fact, experts point out that these children face many struggles while pursuing their education. The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) has stepped in to lend a helping hand to children with ADHD studying in mainstream schools. In a directive sent to the Director of General Education (DGE), KSCPCR has said that strict instructions must be given to schools in order to protect children with ADHD along with maintaining a record of the number of children in every school.

Recently, a teacher from Kerala who has a son with ADHD filed a complaint after the child was unable to cope with up mainstream school methods. The complaint stated that there were many children with ADHD in schools across Kerala who are unable to read, write or study for long hours due to a disability. They had difficulties in appearing for exams as well. School officials often do not take any efforts to reach out to such children which makes things even more difficult for both parents and the child.

Naseer Chaliyam, Member, KSCPCR says that strict guidelines must be issued to protect children with ADHD.

Children with ADHD are often side-lined in schools and they go unnoticed. They do not have a learning disability but they are unable to concentrate on academics. They also go through a lot of emotional stress as well. Parents must also be able to reach out to them. We hope speedy action is taken to protect children with ADHD-Naseer Chaliyam, Member, KSCPCR.

A child with ADHD might need support of scribes to write their exams and sometimes extra writing time as well. KSCPCR has requested DGE to appoint psychologists and psychiatrists to look into the needs and requirements of each child. Providing benefits during exams will be of immense help to them.

KSCPCR clearly stated that inclusion is need of the hour and under no circumstances will children with a disability be excluded from mainstream. “It is great that KSCPCR has taken up the complaint of parents to ensure implementation of RPWD Act, 2016. The IQ of a child with ADHD being lesser than their peers is just false. No two children are alike. Accommodations must be made based on their curriculum, lesson plan, classrooms, assignments and projects. Most parents are only focused on exams. This is indeed a great start. KSCPCR has been receptive and taken action immediately. It is important to have support from such powers in order to make a difference”, says Seema Lal, Co-founder, TogetherWeCan, a parent support group from Kerala.

Also Read: Kerala parents support group petitions CBSE on poor state of inclusion in schools