Special children need more emotional attachment

LAHORE:Punjab University (PU) Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Asghar Zaidi has said that research in special education and paying special attention to the people with unique characteristics are the need of the hour to improve their abilities.

He expressed these views while addressing the first international conference on “Research in Special Education” organised by Institute of Special Education (ISE) at Al Raazi Hall here Friday. Dean Faculty of Life Sciences Prof Dr Javed Iqbal Qazi, MD PWTD Dr Izhar Hashmi, Chief Medical Officer Dr Muhammad Akram, Director ISE Prof Dr Humera Bano, Director Career Counselling and Placement Centre Prof Dr Abdul Qayyum Chaudhry, faculty members and students were present on the occasion.

In the conference, researchers, including those from USA, Karachi and Bahawalpur also addressed online. Dr Asghar Zaidi said that every year, 200 special children were given admission to Punjab University and the best skills were being imparted to them. He lauded the efforts of the organisers of the conference and said that such events provided an opportunity to learn about the experiences of internationally renowned researchers and new trends in the field.

Dr Nadeem Bhatti said that efforts must be made to enable persons with special abilities to be a useful part of our society. He said that the army and the air force had developed several tools through modern research that should be utilised by educational institutions to benefit unique individuals. Dr Qazi said that we should use words like persons having unique abilities instead of the word disability so that their self-esteem was not hurt. Dr Izhar Hashmi said that special children needed more emotional attachment which was becoming extinct in the age of modern technology. He said that development was impossible without strengthening the links of educational institutions with industries and practitioners. He said that new trends were being introduced in the world on which students studying in special education should work. Dr Humera Bano said that the purpose of organising the conference was to make students aware of the thoughts and experiences of experts.