Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Feb 19: Yasmeena Bano, a resident of Brain Nishat in Srinagar district is struggling hard to teach her two girl children who are deaf and dumb.
Bano while talking with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that her elder daughter Gousia Fayaz passed 10th class last year and has secured 339 marks out of 500 while her younger daughter Mehwish Fayaz passed 10th class this year and secured 415 marks.
She said that both her daughters are deaf and dumb since their childhood and are her only two children.
Bano said that within first two years after their birth, they came to know that both are deaf and dumb and despite spending around Rs 5 lakh for their treatment, no positive sign was witnessed.
She said that doctors told them that they need at least Rs 30 lakh for their treatment but being financially weak, they were unable to treat them.
After realizing that her both daughters have to live with lifelong disability, Bano said she decided not to deprive them of education at least, adding that both were admitted in Abhedananda Home (Higher Secondary Institution for Deaf & Mute and Blind Children) in Solina, Srinagar.
“Every day I take my daughters to school in the morning and bring them back in the evening and if any day I have any unavoidable work, they can’t attend the school,” she said.
“It is not an easy thing to take care of two deaf and dumb children especially daughters when source of income is very low. Their father is a laborer but he too is suffering from diabetes and other issues,” she said.
The parents said that it wouldn’t have been possible to educate their daughters, had there not been a school for specially abled children.
“The government must start such schools at zonal level in every district so that such students won’t remain deprived of education,” they said.
They said that the government is providing Rs 1000 per month for disabled persons which is very less and the government must provide assistance to such students so that such students can continue their education.
However, they requested parents whose children are disabled that they should not lose hope but try to give their best for the education of the children so that they can become independent—(KNO)
