A school in Karkala, Udupi district is determined to shape a bright future by catering to the special needs of both children and adults. Vijetha Residential Special School and Vocational Training Centre has been enabling children with
special needs to lead an independent life. A staff of 23 works with 86 students in this residential institution.
The idea of establishing a special school occurred to Kanthi Harish, the current principal, when her previous organisation stopped supporting eight students with special needs due to the lack of government funding.
There were more people who needed support and so Kanthi decided to start her own school for students with special needs in a rented building in 2016. Initially, 15 students attended vocational training classes in the school in Kukkundoor village, Karkala.
Kanthi worked to help students discover their potential. Initially, the school dedicated its attention to training those above 25 years of age but now caters to younger students as well.
Kavitha, a student with disabilities, had to stay at home all alone while her septuagenarian father went to work. “I had immense faith in god and I was confident that someday I would go to school. Now this institute has opened the door to my future,” she says.
Overcoming obstacles
Although the school provides essential support to these students, running it is not easy. “Our staff members serve the children day and night but we are able to provide only a small honorary payment,” says Kanthi Harish. With food and medical requirements, rent, transportation and fuel expenses, making ends meet is an uphill task. The school makes do with the assistance received from donors.
So far, five students with intellectual and developmental disabilities have cleared SSLC examination.
Despite troubles, this centre, birthed with the vision of providing education to students with special needs, stresses the holistic development of its students.
Along with the curriculum, Vijetha also encourages students to get involved in co-curricular activities.
Kanthi says this helps in identifying and bringing out students’ true potential. The students have already proven themselves in sporting and cultural events.
They have won trophies at the district, state and national levels in sporting events in hockey, volleyball and cycling. Cultural activities like dance, singing, Yakshagana and yoga also engage the students. They also excel in making handicrafts, notebooks and in preparing candles.
Recognising their talents, the municipality has set up a store to market the handicrafts prepared by the students. In the store, the students sell wall hangings, candles, handmade flowers and other decorative items. The collected funds are used to improve facilities in the school.