Aiming to raise the autistic children like other normal children, the government has taken initiative to establish an Autistic Academy in the capital, said Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid.
“We have already taken all necessary initiatives to set up an institution aiming to train up children with special needs and it will be built under a project of Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education,” the education minister told the parliament on Thursday.
“We have also chosen three acres of land in Purbachal [sector 8] for this purpose,” added the minister.
Nahid further said two separate hostels for boys and girls would be set up under the project named “Establishment of Autistic Academy” and some 100 children will get accommodation in each hostel.
“The children with special needs will get all sorts of facilities in the hostels so that they can lead a normal life like other children,” said Nahid. “Aiming to bring the autistic children into the mainstream education system, we will also train up 3100 teachers.”
Replying to another query, State Minister for Social Welfare Promod Mankin told the Parliament that the total number of autistic people in the country is 38,678.
Mankin added that all handicapped and mentally challenged children will also be brought under government allowance in phases by 2021.