JU is considering a proposal to start a course in speech and language therapy, that will help children. A Telegraph picture

Jadavpur University (JU) is considering a proposal from a private hospital to introduce a three-year degree course in speech and language therapy.

“When parents notice that their child is stammering, they don’t know who to turn to. There is a need for skilled therapists to treat speech and language problems in children,” said Parthapratim Biswas, a senior teacher of the university and a member of the JU executive council.

A child is said to suffer from speech disorder when he/she faces problems in production of sounds. A child suffering from language disorder has difficulty understanding words and using them to communicate his/her thoughts.

The proposal will be placed before the executive council. The course, if approved by the council, is likely to be run by the department of adult continuing education and extension, under the engineering faculty of the university, in collaboration with the hospital that has come up with the proposal.

The hospital will provide experts to frame the curriculum and offer training to the students. The number of seats will be decided later.

The curriculum will be designed in such a way that those who complete the course can practise individually or work for a hospital or an institute, said a university official.

JU’s adult continuing education department runs courses on special education in collaboration with organisations like the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy and Manovikas Kendra.

“We are running two B.Ed courses on special education. One of the courses is meant to train teachers in educating students with cerebral palsy. The other course aims to produce teachers for mentally challenged children,” said Tandra Mitra, the head of the department of adult continuing education.