NT KURIOCITY
The Harmal Panchakroshi Shikshan Mandal, in collaboration with the Directorate of Social Welfare, Government of Goa, organised a two-day National Conference on ‘Breaking Barriers: Exploring Inclusive Education’ at Sanskriti Bhavan, Panaji. Hosted by Ganpat Parsekar College of Education, Harmal, the event was inaugurated by Minister for Social Welfare, Subhash Phal Desai.
Also present were Chairman of the Mandal, Laxmikant Parsekar; State Commissioner for Disabilities, Guruprasad Pawaskar; Director of Social Welfare, Ajit Panchwadkar and professor Patankar from Shivaji University.
Desai stressed the importance of discussions on inclusive education and praised Aastha, a school run by the Mandal, for its work in promoting inclusivity in the Harmal region.
The conference attracted participation from students, educators, NGOs, and individuals with disabilities. Keynote addresses were delivered by experts, including Dr. Bhuvana Vasudevan, Dr. Rajakumar Guduru, Dr. Radhika Misquitta, and Chitra Paul, who provided perspectives on the practices and challenges of
inclusive education.
A panel discussion on ‘Inclusive Education in Goa: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Road Ahead’, chaired by activist and social worker Prakash Kamat. Panelists, including Purva, Deepali Korde, Rebecca Manari, Ashita Abraham, Anusha Doshi, and Gargi Sinha, offered contributions on the current state and future trajectory of inclusive
education in Goa.
A session also provided a platform for individuals with disabilities to share their personal experiences of inclusive education and employment opportunities. Mahadev Sawant, Patrick D’Souza, Gopal Naik, and Rama Parsekar shared their thoughts on overcoming challenges and finding success.
The conference further featured over 20 research papers presented by scholars from Goa and beyond. Technical sessions, by Russell D’Souza, Sanjayan T.S., and Sunayana Kadle, facilitated discussions on various aspects of inclusive education.
