Teaching students to be handi-capable

‘Siyawasaka Ridmaya’, a concert where sight impaired and hearing impaired students perform on stage in perfect harmony on March 30 at the Ladies College Hall.

The children of the Deaf and Blind school have been practising hard for this annual concert but the sad part is “there’s not much of an appreciative audience who are aware and come to spend that time with them,” says principal of Ladies’ College Nirmalie Wickremasinghe, who is on the Board of Trustees of the School for the Deaf and Blind urging people to support their talent. “Ladies College has had a long af- filiation with the Deaf and Blind School. This year too the College will be with the Deaf and Blind School,” she said, adding that these children shouldn’t be objects of pity but people should come to see what they are really capable of.

“There are three Deaf and Blind schools in Sri Lanka. Two in Ratmalana, one each for the deaf children and the blind,” explained Nimal Barathi, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. “There are 600 students in these schools and children from different religions come in as one,” he said.

For all the sterling service it provides, the school is in need of funds. Their total budget is Rs. 79 million annually. “The government gives us Rs. 34 million and this includes the teachers’ salaries. The Social Services Department also gives Rs. 50 monthly per child in the hostel,” said Eksith Fernando who is the manager of the two Deaf and Blind schools in Ratmalana, stating that they have to find the rest from generous donors.

The children, despite their handicap, do the same syllabus followed in every other school. “Just like other children they follow the same syllabus and since 90% of them stay in hostels they don’t go to any tuition classes to do extra studies,” he said. Still some perform well enough to enter university.

The principal of the Blind school in Ratmalana, Sandya Koduruarachchi, said that children, aged three years and above, who are in need of special education are taken into the school and given all the necessary education as well as learning swimming, vocational training, sports, sewing, cooking and more. “They grow up, get married and lead happy lives,” she said.

Tickets for Siyawasaka Ridmaya

are available at Ladies’college and the Deaf and Blind Schools.