This document proposes upgrading Alfarabi, a national special education center for physically handicapped children in Islamabad, Pakistan from secondary to higher secondary level. The upgrade would expand the center's capacity from 100 to 200 students, upgrade its physiotherapy unit, orthopedic prosthesis workshop, and establish a wheelchair repair workshop. It aims to better serve the growing disabled population in Islamabad/Rawalpindi and provide vocational training. The upgrade would allow the center to develop its auxiliary rehabilitation services and expand its catchment area.

1. CONCEPT PAPER
UP GRADATION OF ALFARABI, NATIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR
PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, FROM SECONDARY TO HIGHER
SECONDARY LEVEL.
Ministry of Capital Administration and Development
(Directorate General of Special Education and Social Welfare)
October ,2012.

2. TITLE OF PROJECT
UP GRADATION OF ALFARABI, NATIONAL SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR
PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, FROM SECONDARY TO HIGHER
SECONDARY LEVEL.
Sponsoring Agency
Executing Agency
Ministry of Capital Administration and Development
Directorate General of Special Education and Social Welfare.
Back Ground :
The Rehabilitation Centre for Orthopaedically Disabled was established in 1982 in a rented
Building after completion of purpose built building it was shifted to current place in 1988, since
than the Institute has developed markedly and its services expanded to a remarkable levels in
rehabilitation and education of Physically handicapped children ,including Cerebral Palsy. It has a
state of art physiotherapy unit , it was started as Primary rehabilitation unit up to class Five,later on
it was expanded up to Matriculation levels. The Project is directly related to the social sector
development(Social welfare & Special Education) in terms of rehabilitation, training and Education
of Physically handicapped children that includes the training , rehabilitation and education of
cerebral palsied children, its effectively working for socio economical up lift of marginalized
community of Physically handicapped children. The Up- -gradation will contribute to national
economic growth by enabling Physically handicapped children to become positively contributing
citizens in National economical growth. The Physically handicapped children, institute also provide
facilities of Physiotherapy, Speech therapy, Medical facilities for day to day problems and an
Orthopaedic prosthetic unit which caters the need of in house children and community at large. The
up gradation of National Special education centre for Physically handicapped children from
Secondary to higher secondary levels, will not only serve our disabled community in terms of
education & rehabilitation but it will also help develop units of Physio therapy and Orthopaedic-
prosthesis facilities by augmenting their capacity. Its one of its kind in our country , beside uplifting
of all sections of Institute this will also contribute to development of our vocational training
department. Existing Special Education centres established under Federal/Provincial governments
are playing vital role in enabling children with disabilities in sustainable development of Country
by implementation of existing projects country wide, this up gradation will play same role :-
Project in brief is as under:
I. Up gradation of National Special education centre for Physically handicapped children from
secondary to higher secondary level for 50 students at each levels.
II. Up gradation of existing physiotherapy unit in capacity and service building.
III. Up gradation of Prosthesis (Orthopaedic ) unit in capacity and for training of main power.

3. IV. Establishment of wheel chair repair and modification work shop.
VII. Provision of Extra-curricular activities viz., sports, recreational to prepare students for
competitive sports at Local, National and International levels.
Need base analysis
National Special Education centre for Physically handicapped children caters the need of twin
cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi in past three decades, population of twin cities have multiplied
many folds, so is the number and quantity of disabled population, as per WHO international ratio of
persons with disabilities is 10%, but Pakistan is country with constant natural disasters since
2005,floods , terrorists attacks and sporadic accidents that have directly & indirectly contributed to
the rise in disabled population specially disasters result in physical disabilities which has rise
tremendously in past ten years,geographical locale of ICT, which was thinly populated three
decades ago when Directorate general of Special Education was established and a series of
institutes for rehabilitation and Education of Disable children were established around the country
along with Capital. Most of the people living in twin cities are lower middle class & poor , diseases
& resultant disabilities are common in this class, they are also having many children , beside
population multiplication they have severe problems to manage their education and rehabilitation
besides feeding their families. It there fore being planned to expand services and magnitude of
National Special Education Centre for Physically handicapped children and its secondary services
which are also necessary for proper physical rehabilitation, Education,extracurricular and
vocational rehabilitation of persons with physical disabilities and cerebral palsy. Hence it is the
need of the day to upgrade already established NSEC for Physically handicapped children from
Secondary to Higher secondary levels, along with its axillary services to next stage. With attaining
the next stage of higher secondary ,all segments of services provided by Al-Farabi will also
develop simultaneously and its radius of service delivery will also increase. following is
comprehensive details of services to be developed with up gradation.
1) Up gradation of National Special Education Centre for Physically handicapped
children from secondary to higher secondary level for 100 students at each
levels:
As reasons mentioned above it will be service towards a large section of society which is
Physically handicapped and with Cerebral palsy, The Centre is serving its purpose initially as
Primary centre of rehabilitation & Education, than its status was elevated to secondary Education
institute. Up gradation will also help augment its infrastructure, staffing and other facilities like
construction of new section of academics to accommodate upgraded Institute.
2) Up gradation of existing physiotherapy unit in capacity and quality of Services:
NSEC for Physically handicapped children has a physiotherapy unit which constantly serves in
house students and the need of referred cases and early intervention programme given to younger
children, since last 30 years three Physio therapists which are professionally sound and a Senior
Physiotherapist is serving selflessly , with up gradation of Alfarabi, Special education Centre to
higher secondary level, the up gradation of its Physiotherapy unit according to need of modern
times, in equipment and according to professional standards is mandatory, we also need the increase
in Professionals and supporting staff. We would like to utilize the services and experiences of
Professional staff to start a certificate or diploma courses to cater not only needs of special persons
but country as a whole in the field of Physio therapy & rehabilitation.

4. 3) Up-gradation of Prosthesis manufacturing, fixing unit in capacity and for training of
manpower :
Since 2010, with the help of an NGO CHEF international , an Orthopaedic prosthesis
manufacturing , fitting and maintaining unit is functioning in NSEC for PHC, its one of its kind in
our set up, which is not only catering the need of enrolled students, but also serves community and
as a tool of early intervention for children under five years of age. A French expert technician is also
working with joint team, the ratio of enrolled service to out door is 70:30, the said NGO is
interested in expansion of Orthopaedic prosthesis services and expand it into technical training
institute, which if agreed will be first of its kind in Asia. Department will not only be able to serve
our students but it can also share effectively the need and demand of the other Special Education
schools and NGOs working in far flung areas of country, we have felt the shortage of technical staff
and severe dearth of such institutes since 2005 earth quack .The expansion of Orthopaedic
prosthesis workshop has dual purpose, fulfilling of national need and create training and
occupational opportunity for persons with disabilities. This unique and most important field can
give very respectable occupational field to our disable children.
4) Establishment wheel chair repair and modification workshop in Alfarabi
Special Education Centre.
This is also a unique concept, whole world ,specially developed world is using various
types of wheel chairs according to need of children or adults , they range from low cast devices to
highly sophisticated , motorized devices too. Wheel chairs can be modified according to height,
posture &use, for correction of their limb deformities and educational & rehabilitation needs, hence
it is a tool of making some one mobile but it can be used as a prosthesis or an instrument of
rehabilitation for Cerebral palsy and Physically handicapped children.
5) Provision of Extra-curricular activities viz., sports, recreational to prepare students
for competitive sports at Local, National and International levels.
Co-curricular or Extra curricular activities are as important as educational activities, to build a
positive personality of students, these students are already devoid of equal opportunities in society,
while at home most of these students are limited to their rooms or homes. The only activity in their
lives is daily visit to school, by increasing facilities of indoor & out door sports ,we can give these
students to build their personalities as other normal children do. We want to add & upgrade sports
facilities for physically handicapped according to Special & Paralympic requirements, ie addition of
wheel chair racing, ball games indoor & out door and Table games like Table tennis, which will
serve purpose of rehabilitation & personality building.