Japanese Delegation Explores Establishing Vocational Training Institute for Visually Impaired in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities welcomed a Japanese delegation to discuss the potential establishment of a vocational training institute or university for visually impaired individuals in Odisha.

In a meeting held on Thursday, Bishnupada Sethi, IAS Principal Secretary, engaged with the delegation to explore the proposal. Ryuchi Aoki, Principal of Tsukuba University in Japan, emphasized the importance of creating employment opportunities for the visually impaired through proper education and training.

Tsukuba University, which specializes in providing vocational education to students with disabilities, has achieved significant success, with about 40 percent of its graduates securing employment in various fields, including IT, engineering, and medicine. Japan currently has 67 special schools that offer vocational education to students with disabilities, serving as a model for the proposed institute in Odisha.

The five-member Japanese delegation included Debendra Mohanta of Nihon Utkal Enterprise Services, Kei Yamaguchi, Senior Consultant at NITKAL, Tomohiro Maeda, Chief of the Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department, and Naoshi Terasaki. The program was attended by senior officials of the department, including Additional Secretary Santosh Kumar Pradhan. The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Director Niyati Patnaik.

This collaboration represents a significant step forward in enhancing the quality of life and employment prospects for visually impaired individuals in Odisha.