There is a general lack of awareness in Pakistan regarding mental retardation which extends even to most care-givers & philanthropists working to help intellectually challenged people. These centres rarely have curriculums or processes in place that cater to the 9 areas where a person’s deficiencies may lead them to be classified as mentally challenged.

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These 9 areas are:
1. Communication
2. Self-care
3. Home-living
4. Social/interpersonal skills
5. Use of community resources
6. Self-direction
7. Functional Academic skills
8. Work & Leisure
9. Health & Safety

Almost all the rehabilitation centres in Pakistan catering to intellectually challenged concentrate on the 7th Area i.e. Functional Academics while ignoring all other aspects of an individual’s development. The centres begin to resemble shelters & day-care centres, where the individual is effectively resigned to living out their lives aimlessly attending their schools/centres for their monotonous daily activities, & finally fading away having achieved nothing & not being able to maximize their potential.