The Kerala General Education Department has designed an unique "inclusive sports manual" with the objective of promoting the sports talents of differently-abled schoolchildren and ensuring their participation in the field.
State General Education Minister V Sivankutty said that it is the first time that such a document is being designed in the country.
"Steps are being taken to conduct competitions as part of the manual this year itself," he said while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday.
The minister was elaborating on various academic and non-academic programmes being implemented by the department in the ongoing academic year.
Another programme, titled "Healthy Kids," envisaged to ensure the physical and mental health of children by initiating them to sports and games, would be implemented for primary students of the state-run schools, he said.
Designed by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), he said the programme was already approved by the curriculum committee, and two books have been prepared as part of it.
Seeking to support autistic children, Model Autism Complexes would be set up in all 14 districts of the state by spending Rs 37.80 crore, the minister detailed.
A total of Rs 121.21 crore-worth of projects would be implemented as part of the "inclusive education" programme envisaged for differently-abled children, Sivankutty said.
The minister said the annual school sports meet would be held from October 18 to 22 in Ernakulam district.
Efforts are being made to change the school sports meet to the model of the Olympics by organising athletes and games together, he said.
A special logo, theme, and song are under consideration for the event, the minister added.
