Sightsavers India, a development organization that strives to end preventable blindness and advance equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities, is bolstering inclusive education in West Bengal by assisting visually impaired children in receiving a high-quality education in regular government schools.

In order to guarantee that children who are blind or have low vision receive the assistance they require to learn and flourish, the organization currently carries out its Inclusive Education program in Howrah and Bankura in collaboration with the education department, schools, teachers, and communities.

Sightsavers India works with government schools in West Bengal that serve students with visual impairments; these schools include 206 in Bankura and 51 in Howrah. By offering Braille instruction, accessible educational resources, low vision aids, and assistive technology like tablets, DAISY players, and laptops, the program aims to increase access to inclusive education. Additionally, it increases teachers’ capacity and raises awareness among school management committees and education administrators to design more inclusive classrooms.

In line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and supporting the Government of India’s Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan, the program helps ensure that every child, regardless of disability, has access to high-quality education.

3,280 verified visually impaired children from 15 districts in seven states—West Bengal, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh—were assisted by Sightsavers India’s Inclusive Education program between April 2025 and March 2026.

The programme achieved the following:

● Supported 3,280 children with visual impairment.

● Provided 263 children with ICT and assistive devices.

● Distributed accessible educational materials to 1,265 children.

● Trained 1,390 teachers on inclusive education practices.

● Sensitised 264 educational administrators on disability inclusion and the education of Children with Special Needs (CwSN).

According to Sightsavers India, inclusive education goes beyond just enrolling students. The organization works to guarantee that children with visual impairments can participate meaningfully in classrooms and continue their education with confidence by expanding access to assistive technology, accessible learning resources, qualified educators, and supportive school environments.

Beyond inclusive education, Sightsavers India strives to end preventable blindness and advance disability inclusion through initiatives centered on school eye health, rural and urban eye health, and expanding underprivileged communities’ access to high-quality eye care nationwide.

Priyanka Dutta