ITANAGAR, Aug 1: In a step toward strengthening inclusive education in Arunachal Pradesh, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein announced enhanced financial support for the Donyi-Polo Mission School for the Hearing and Visually Impaired, Itanagar.
The announcement was made during the workshop of ‘Let’s Speak Arunachal’ on the theme ‘Empowering Youth Voices and Building Pathways’, hosted at the school. The initiative is aimed at nurturing leadership and amplifying the voices of differently-abled youth through public speaking and civic engagement.
Deputy CM Mein announced that the school’s annual grant-in-aid will be increased from ₹1.4 Crore to ₹2 Crore. In addition, a ₹5 Crore Corpus fund will be allocated to the Donyi-Polo Mission School for the Hearing and Visually Impaired, Itanagar, to ensure the institution’s long-term sustainability, and he said to incorporate both the commitments in the upcoming State Annual Budget for the next financial year.
Established in 1990, the school has been a pioneer in providing free education, therapy, and skill development to children with hearing, visual, and intellectual disabilities.
He remembered the founder of the School and former Chief Minister, Gegong Apang, on the occasion of starting this institution for a noble cause to empower Hearing Impaired, Visually Impaired, and Intellectually Disabled children. He said that this institution has been a beacon of hope for many students who have been marginalized due to their disabilities. He said that subsequent Governments in the State have been supporting this Institution, and our Government will continue to support it.
Recognizing the creativity of the students, the Deputy CM also directed his office to procure gift paper bags crafted by the school’s students from recycled waste papers, as a gesture of encouragement for their vocational skills and self-reliance.
Attending the inaugural workshop, Mein emphasized the importance of effective communication, which is the key to success. He said that it is essential to equip our young minds with the skills they need to express themselves confidently and articulately.
He lauded the founder and organizer of ‘Let’s Speak Arunachal’, Porsum Ori, and Secretary, Tana Jiri, for reaching out to students by traveling to various schools across the State and conducting workshops and providing training and a platform for public speaking, saying it as a commendable effort towards building a confident, expressive and articulative youths.
Secretary, Departments of Sports & Youth Affairs and Social Justice & Tribal Affairs, Abu Tayeng; Director, Youth Affairs, Ramesh Linggi; and Principal, Aravinda Dey, along with faculty members, parents, and students, were present at the event.
