'Special children who make my day '
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Imagem: Abu Dhabi Media Company PJSCLegenda: Nipa Bhuptani, right, the head of the Autism Department of Future Centre For Special Needs. Philip Cheung / The National
"Wednesdays, Nipa Bhuptani concedes, can be a bit boring.
This is the day the children from the autism department she heads at Abu Dhabi’s Future Centre for Special Needs are taken out to a mall. So Mrs Bhuptani is left with the paperwork in her tiny office beside the classrooms.
“When I am an hour into work, I start to think, ‘This is too quiet’,” she says. “It is the most dull day because they’re all gone.”
It is 18 years since Mrs Bhuptani, 43, moved to the UAE capital from her native India. For more than 10 years she worked in mainstream kindergartens but finally decided that she needed “something more”.
“I’ve found that in what I’m doing,” she says now. “I don’t know why I’m here, but I know that I love doing this job. My job is a challenge every day, and I need that.”
Most days, the challenge involves managing and motivating the eight staff who look after the 12 children, aged five to 14, in the autism department.
It is not easy work. Children with autism tend to have difficulty communicating and poor social skills, and some can be aggressive. This makes it difficult for the teachers, teaching assistants, speech and language specialists and occupational therapists whom Mrs Bhuptani supervises.
The key, she says, is to set small goals each day and celebrate when they are achieved.
“We make a big deal of any success that we see,” she says. “Motivating staff is a very important part because this job can take a lot out of you.”
On a typical day, Mrs Bhuptani arrives shortly before 8am, when the children come in. She sits with her staff and discusses each child and the progress he or she making. After lessons start, she spends much of her time in the classroom with the children and coaching the teachers.
If a teacher is not doing things right, she says, “I have to do it for her so she can do it. It’s completely hands-on, and it makes me stay in the classroom a lot.”
Mrs Bhuptani is a board-certified associate behaviour analyst, a title she gained after several years of studying and 1,000 hours of experience. She employs the techniques of applied behaviour analysis, taking ideas derived from experiments and using them to improve individual behaviour.
For the past year at the centre she has been employing the Competent Learner Model, a scientific regime that uses applied behaviour analysis to teach individuals with special needs. Mrs Bhuptani trained in the technique in California.
This programme, she says, has had “a lot of success” in improving behaviour and is being expanded at the centre.
At the start of the year there were many children with aggressive or self-harming behaviour, she says. One child would hit a person on average every 30 minutes, even cracking someone’s rib once.
“At the end of the year we brought it down to very, very low intensity,” she says, explaining that children would be taught to say “I must keep my hands to myself”, and ask for things appropriately.
“These are the rewards.”
After the children leave, at 1.15pm, Mrs Bhuptani stays behind for a couple of hours, doing more paperwork. She often receives visitors in the hope that raising the centre’s profile will encourage financial support. The centre relies on charitable contributions as well as fees and, because there is insufficient provision throughout the country, there is a waiting list for places. The need for more centres like hers, she says, is “vast”.
“I can be with the CEO of a company one minute, and the next minute be in the toilet with a child who’s having a tantrum,” she says, laughing. “I have to jump from one thing to the next quite quickly.”
Counselling parents “to let them not give up on their child” is another duty. Autism can be hard for them to come to terms with, Mrs Bhuptani says, because a child may look normal and be capable of impressive feats, such as completing a complex puzzle, yet be unable, say, to ask for a biscuit.
“It’s not like other special needs, where all their skills are below a certain level. It may be patchy,” she says. “Some will repeat the whole Shrek dialogue with the exact intonation, but if you ask a question such as: “What did you do yesterday?’ he won’t be able to answer,” she says, referring to the computer-animated comedy film. “That’s something parents find very difficult to cope with.”
Mrs Bhuptani, originally from Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat, is married to a banker, Ajay, and has a 16-year-old son, Arjun, who does not have special needs.
While she says being away from family in India is one of the few downsides of life in the UAE – she visits her mother in Ahmedabad only twice a year – she has strong family connections in the Emirates. Five years ago, her younger brother Nilesh Gandhi, married with two sons, moved to Dubai, and she often visits him at the weekend.
“We also have a lot of family spending time with us here,” Mrs Bhuptani says. “My husband’s dad lives a couple of months with us each year. The house is always full of people.”
Mr and Mrs Bhuptani have remained in the UAE because of the quality of life and education, and the benefits this has brought their son. Other than the separation from her family in India, she says, “being here fulfils everything”.
Mrs Bhuptani believes that living in the UAE has given her son, born in Abu Dhabi, a unique outlook: “My son was fortunate to be born here and to go to school here because from the first year he met so many different nationalities and cultures.
“I would ask him where his friends were from and he would say: ‘From Abu Dhabi. Everybody is from Abu Dhabi.’ He believes it doesn’t matter where you’re from. That’s the biggest thing we’ve been able to give our son from being here. He sees the world very differently from us.” (Abu Dhabi Media Company PJSC | dbardsley@thenational.ae)
... some want to speak but can't, some want to hear but cannot and there are some who want to ...
"My inspiration come from these children. I see them every day, some want to speak but can't, some want to hear but cannot and there are some who want to walk but cannot. [...]" (Fiji Times Online)
Tavira assinou protocolo com diocese de Timor para construção de escola
"Nas comemorações do Dia do Município de Tavira, no passado dia 24 de Junho, foi assinado um protocolo entre a autarquia e a Diocese de Baucau (Timor), cabendo ao município apoiar com 27 mil euros a Fundação São José na construção de uma escola secundária, em Laclubar, Manatuto.
D. Basílio do Nascimento, Bispo da Diocese de Baucau, que esteve presente na cerimónia, começou por agradecer em nome da sua diocese e da Fundação São José, de que é presidente, "mas fundamentalmente, em nome dos jovens que um dia venham a beneficiar da escola à qual se destina esta contribuição da Câmara Municipal de Tavira".
Falou do seu jovem País que faz parte da CPLP - Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa. "No meu País a Igreja tem um papel importante em vários sectores e um deles é este, o da educação. O interior é bastante abandonado e as escolas que lá existem são fundamentalmente da Igreja", explicou o Prelado, informando que a Diocese de Baucau, através Fundação São José, tem 118 escolas, desde o nível primário ao secundário. "Tem custos enormes. Fazemos um esforço enorme para as manter, embora não tenhamos capacidade para isso, mas como os pais não aceitam que se fechem escolas, nós vamos fazendo «milagres» para as manter abertas. Isto, para que as crianças das montanhas também tenham possibilidades de acesso ao ensino", testemunhou, agradecendo em nome das crianças o apoio da edilidade.
Relembrando ainda que o local escolhido para a obra tinha inicialmente sido outro, evidenciou as dificuldades inerentes a um País que está ainda a dar os primeiros passos e explicou que, por falta de entendimento, entre os vários poderes institucionais "a verba ficou parada". "Este ano surgiu outra oportunidade relacionada com uma escola no Sul da minha diocese, nas montanhas, que tentamos que seja um centro de ensino secundário, pois num raio de 80 kms não há qualquer escola secundária. A verba destina-se a arranjar um pavilhão - a escola já existe - mas não tem condições, por isso, achou-se por bem, aproveitar este dinheiro".
O pavilhão pertenceu a um quartel da tropa portuguesa e, para além do aspecto da preservação do património português, a sua reparação vai dar oportunidade a que se criem melhores condições por exemplo para o ensino da língua portuguesa, explicou D. Basílio do Nascimento. "É algo que vai sendo feito muito devagar, mas se compararmos com dez anos atrás, hoje em dia, a dinâmica do ensino da língua tem outra dimensão", frisou.
"Espero merecer a confiança da Câmara Municipal de Tavira. Vamos fazer a administração do dinheiro e as contas serão apresentadas logo que as obras terminem", prometeu-se o Bispo de Baucau, deixando uma palavra de agradecimento ao padre Miguel Neto que trabalhou em Timor. "A ele se deve esta ligação da Diocese de Baucau a Tavira.
Pela amizade que ele tem com o senhor presidente da Câmara Municipal de Tavira, foi graças a ele que se abriu esta «porta»", reconheceu D. Basílio.
Com Folha do Domingo" (Agência Ecclesia)
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Kirsty Sword Gusmão | Imprensa espanhola
"Timor Oriental, uno de los países más jóvenes y pobres del mundo, ha comenzado una campaña para cambiar su imagen, demostrar que se encuentra en paz y manifestar que ha dejado atrás su pasado violento.
La ex colonia portuguesa "es ahora segura, las mujeres y los niños pueden caminar tranquilos por las calles, la gente celebra fiestas por las noches y la mejor noticia que tenemos para trasladar al mundo es que hay paz y estabilidad", asegura a Efe la esposa del primer ministro de Timor Oriental y presidenta de una de las principales fundaciones sociales del país, Kirsty Sword Gusmao.
Su mensaje llega apenas un año y cuatro meses después de que un comandante renegado del Ejército timorense intentase asesinar al presidente de la República, José Ramos Horta, y al primer ministro, Xanana Gusmao.
Sword Gusmao realiza una gira por Portugal, la antigua metrópoli de la ex colonia, para fomentar las relaciones bilaterales y tratar de cambiar el concepto que tienen de su país, el más pobre de Asia, en el extranjero.
La esposa del primer ministro y anterior jefe de Estado tiene una amplia agenda de entrevistas y visitas a instituciones en Lisboa, desde la ministra de Educación, María Lourdes Rodrigues, hasta la Asamblea de la República.
Además, en las dos semanas de su estancia en Portugal, visitará otras ciudades lusas y tiene previstos encuentros con responsables de varias fundaciones y ONG que pueden apoyar a su país.
Sword Gusmao reconoce que Timor Oriental tiene aún "graves problemas relacionados con la educación y la sanidad" pero cree que ha comenzado una nueva época de prosperidad, después de que alcanzase en 2002 la independencia, tras 24 años de ocupación indonesia y cuatro siglos de colonización portuguesa.
"Un altísimo porcentaje de la población vive con menos de medio dólar al día y aunque hemos empezado a registrar más actividad en los bancos, parte de los timorenses tiene la percepción de que los extranjeros son los únicos que se lucran", reconoce Sword Gusmao, de origen australiano.
La institución que preside, la "Fundación Alola", lucha para combatir la alta mortalidad de las mujeres en el momento del parto -explica- y por erradicar el analfabetismo, una tarea en la que el país cuenta con una "importante ayuda de Brasil y Cuba".
Timor Oriental, con una población de alrededor de un millón de personas, sufrió una ola de violencia en 2006 cuando unos 600 militares rebeldes instigaron una revuelta popular que dejó 37 muertos, más de 100.000 desplazados y obligó a dimitir al entonces primer ministro, Mari Alkatiri.
La crisis, que puso a la ex colonia lusa al borde de la guerra civil, se desencadenó a raíz del despido de las filas del ejército de ese grupo de militares, por denuncias de corrupción y nepotismo en el seno de la fuerza armada.
El pequeño país, que ocupa la mitad este de la isla de Timor, atravesó, con aquellos hechos, una época de inestabilidad que "ha sido subsanada en los años siguientes", asegura la esposa del primer ministro.
"Hace unos meses, después del periodo de violencia y miedo, dejé de contar con los guardaespaldas que cuidaban de mi seguridad y la de mis hijos -revela Sword Gusmao- porque creo que ya no la necesitamos en esta nueva etapa".
"Así demostramos a la población -agrega- la confianza en la tranquilidad que vive nuestro país".
Ella misma estuvo envuelta en los agitados tiempos de la lucha contra Indonesia y fue una activista clandestina a favor de la independencia de Timor Oriental cuando trabajaba como cooperante pro derechos humanos en Yakarta entre 1992 y 1996.
Durante esos años conoció, primero por correspondencia y después personalmente, a Xanana Gusmao, que se encontraba en prisión por formar parte del Frente Revolucionario de Timor Este Independiente (FRETILIN).
Gusmao fue liberado en 1999, un año después se casó con ella y en 2002 se convirtió en el primer presidente de la recién creada república timorense, cargo del que pasó en 2007 al de primer ministro tras las elecciones celebradas ese año." (Lisboa, 21 jun, EFE apud mujerhoy.com)
Teaching Children with Disabilities in Inclusive Settings
Embracing Diversity: Toolkit for Creating Inclusive, Learning-Friendly Environments Specialized Booklet, 3
Bangkok: UNESCO Bangkok, 2009, 109 p.
ISBN 978-92-9223-243-6 (Print version)
ISBN 978-92-9223-244-3 (Electronic version)
Download PDF 2.3MB
* Defining “Disabilities”
* Barriers to Learning, Development and Participation and How to Overcome Them
* Accessible School Environments – Universal Design Principles
* Hearing Impairment
* Visual Impairment
* Physical Impairment - Motor and Mobility Impairments
* Developmental / Intellectual Impairment
* Specific Learning Difficulties
* Other Impairments and Disabilities
* Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties
* Deafblindness
* Multiple Impairments
* Where to Learn More – Internet Resources
* Contacts for Publications
* Glossary
Related Link:
- Embracing Diversity: Toolkit for Creating Inclusive, Learning-Friendly Environments
- Asia and Pacific Programme of Education for All (APPEAL)
'The state and development of adult learning and education in Asia and the Pacific'
Imagem: [PDF] The state and development of adult learning and education in Asia ...
The Pacific sub-region
"According to the EFA Monitoring Team’s categorisation, the Pacific sub-region comprises 18 countries: Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Progress has been recorded for universal primary education, and most countries have high net enrolment ratios (NERs). Adult literacy data are not available for many of the small island countries; it remains a problem as indicated by some of the very few countries which had data. There are small gender disparities overall in the Pacific.
The total primary net enrolment ratio (NER) was 90 per cent in 2005, an improvement of three percentage points over 1999. However, the primary NERs declined by about three percentage points in Fiji and by two points in Samoa during the period and the Solomon Islands had a low ratio of 63 per cent.
There were still 335,000 out-of-school children at primary level in the Pacific region in 2005, compared to 447,000 in 1999, and the share of girls among out-of-school children increased from 50 per cent to 55 per cent. School progression and completion remain a concern in some of the few countries with relevant data. More than half the countries in the region have secondary school GERs at or above 85 per cent. However, there are large variations in the participation level in secondary education, with the GER ranging from 26 per cent in Papua New Guinea to 148 per cent in Australia. As in other sub-regions, GERs in over half the countries at the lower secondary level are higher by 30 percentage points or more than at the higher level. Notable exceptions to this are Australia, New Zealand and Tonga.
Adult literacy. Nearly 1.6 million adults in the Pacific region lacked basic literacy skills during the most recent period (1995–2004), compared with 1.3 million in the previous period (1985–1994). The estimated average adult literacy rate was 93 per cent in 1995–2004, only marginally different since 1985–1994. There are disparities among the countries which provided data; Samoa and Tonga had a rate of 99 per cent in 1995–2004, but the rates were 57 per cent in Papua New Guinea and 74 per cent in Vanuatu. Overall, very little gender disparity was reported, with some exceptions such as Papua New Guinea, where 80 adult women were literate for every 100 adult men who were literate.
Calculation of the Education Development Index and projection to 2015 for some of the measurable EFA Goals show that substantial challenges remain with regard to the learning needs of young people and adults. Given the pressure to extend the cycle of basic education in schools and expand secondary education, non-formal education opportunities have received lesser priority. The countries which have built up their formal primary and post-basic systems, such as Australia, Japan and New Zealand, have in fact, given systematic attention to non-formal life skills and lifelong education for youth and adults, especially at the postschooling level.[...]" (The State and development of adult learning and education in Asia and the Pacific: regional synthesis report; 2009, Pág. 19)
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