More kindergarten spots for disabled children on the way

• Source: Global Times
• [10:24 July 23 2010]
• Comments

A group of children with disabilities do rehabilitation training with help from their parents. Photo: CFP

By Liu Dong

Shanghai educational authorities are planning to make more kindergarten places available for children with special needs to provide them with equal education opportunities, following a complaint posted on Shanghai-based social network Liba.com by a mother regarding the problems she had finding a kindergarten place for her disabled son.

The mother, a primary school teacher who did not reveal her real name, posted an account of her experience on Liba. com this week. She felt that her son, 3-year-old Jinjin, had been treated unfairly during the application process to a kindergarten in Minhang district.

Jinjin suffers from partial paralysis of the right side of his body due to a virus he contracted soon after birth.

In May this year, Jinjin and two friends from the same residential community applied to go to Zhuanqiao Town Kindergarten. The mother said that her son was the only one of the three whose application was queried by the kindergarten authorities, and believed this was down to his medical history.

"Why do they have a problem with my boy? The doctor from the rehabilitation center said he had recovered very well and now he can almost act the same as other children, except for his right hand, which can not perform some fine movements," she said in the post.

An officer surnamed He from the preschool education department of the Minhang Education Bureau told the Global Times Thursday that, according to the district's admission regulations, Jinjin should have no difficulties being enrolled.

However, Kang Xianjun, head of Zhuanqiao Town Kindergarten, denied that Jinjin had been refused a place at the kindergarten.