Brail text book delay affecting students

Chaminda PERERA

Organizations for visually handicapped yesterday voiced their anger over the failure of the authorities to provide brail text books for visually impaired students on time.

They said that these students do not receive their text books at the beginning of their academic year though all students of government schools are privileged to have their text books on time.

"These children receive brail books after a few months since the beginning of their academic year and some brail books are given to them at the end of their academic year, they allege.

According to the chairman of the National Federation of the Visually Handicapped W.M.D Ratnasekera visually handicapped students who are studying at government schools are faced with much difficulties and their right to access to free education have been challenged.

He added that the managements in a number of schools in the country have imported machinery for printing brail books in schools itself and the students of such schools are receiving text books for several subjects on time.

An official on behalf of the School for the Deaf in Ratmalana, Sandya Koduriarachchi when contacted by the Daily News said that the school does not receive brail books on time and they have been facing this problem for more than ten years.