By Willie Gordon Suting
From atop the Sangshong Hill in Mairang, the meadows look spectacular and the hills encircling them bask in their magnificence. But for Lawan Pynshngain, Iohbor Kharshiing and their little friends, all students of Vidya Jyoti, it is “the same everyday”.
The road to Vidya Jyoti, the only inclusive school in West and South West Khasi Hills, is serpentine and steep and a laborious task even for a four-wheeler. This makes the distance seem longer. Just when you start thinking that it is a road to nowhere, you can spot children in red cardigans running up and down with enthusiasm.
The one-storeyed concrete building appears suddenly. With no boundary wall and eye-catching signboard on an iron gate, it can be mistaken for a government building when students are not around.
Established in 2008, the school has both disabled and normal students. An effort of KJP Synod Sepngi, the school is looked after by Agency for Sustainable Development Initiative, a non-profit charitable Society formed under the Certificate of Registration of Societies Act 12 of 1983 under the Government of Meghalaya.
“Vidya Jyoti” means the light of knowledge. And true to its meaning, the motto of the school is “knowledge applied” and it seeks to not differentiate between disabled and normal students.
“Here we treat both equally and teach normal students to help the disabled ones,” says Rev Socratis Diengngan, director.
The school has nursery to Class X, which was started last year. The officiating principal, Baiasukshisha Kharmawlong, is at the helm of affairs since the school’s inception. She said she has done her BEd in special education for the hearing impaired from NEHU.
The story of its beginnings is humble with just one student joining in the first day. Three joined in the coming days. This grew to the current total of 296 students, of which 39 have disabilities.
The disabled students are taught basics of various subjects and are being given special attention. The school’s body, Community Based Rehabilitation Programme, has organised a ‘Students’ Club’ which has both teachers and students as members. In Students’ Club, the students are taught values like empathy, kindness, compassion and equality with one another.
Vidya Jyoti Inclusive School has two other sections — out-patient department that gives counselling to disabled students, youths and adults, and vocational training centre which teaches the disabled card-making, knitting and sewing. “We teach the children to stand on their own feet and be strong,” says Diengngan.
Lawan Pynshngain, a special student of Class X, suffers from cerebral palsy and is always on wheelchair. When Sunday Shillong met him, he was playing with junior students during the recess. “Hello, welcome to our school. It is good that the media have come. Please take photographs and highlight what we do here,” says a friendly Pynshngain, who came to the school at the age of nine.
Pynshngain informs that he stays at Warbah Nongkhlaw, which is far from the school, and has to hire a vehicle that drops him to and picks him up from the campus.
“I love it here as my teachers take care of me and explain everything as many times as I ask them to. I wish we had higher secondary too so that we, the disabled students, did not have to go out of the district and away from home,” the student, who is preparing for his board examination next year, says with enthusiasm.
Pynshngain points out that though there are ramps and students are cooperative, more facilities for special children are required and “the media should help us in taking the message to the authorities”.
“Don’t you think the government should be more helpful, especially when there are so less number of schools for us,” he questions with a smile that says it all.
The teachers for the disabled are B.Ed Special Education graduates. Two teachers are underv Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. There are six non-teaching staff.
Bidasiewdor L Mawnai, a teacher, speaking to Sunday Shillong, says “We help empower the disabled who feel ignored and rejected in society. There is love and unity here with no social or attitudinal barrier. Acceptance is key to treating a disabled child well.”
Mawnai has been working for six years in the school, and says she loves teaching the children. “To see them improve is rewarding. There is a sense of satisfaction.”
However, there are challenges too. Mawnai says most of the teachers are not fully trained in handling special students. It is also a challenge to keep the special children on a par with other students “but we never give up and update ourselves so that we can face the challenges with aplomb”. With no help from the government, the task gets daunting considering the school’s limited resources.
Besides, the school regularly conducts training and workshops for teachers. Diengngan says students are mainly from West Khasi Hills district with a few from the outskirts.
But Diengngan complains that although the quality of teaching is good, the school needs learning equipment for physiotherapy, wheelchairs, beds etc.
Mawnai agrees. “If the government can help us with teaching aids like projectors and computers, we would be very grateful.”
As there is no higher secondary school for the disabled in the district, the students join the Vocational Training Centre. “We approached the Social Welfare Department in the past but there has been no reply,” says Diengngan. The Minister of Urban Affairs, Hamlet Dohling, had promised to provide buses.
Sunday Shillong spoke to two parents of children with cerebral palsy. “My child’s confidence has improved. He is hardworking and diligent despite the problem. The teachers have helped and guided him very well,” says Snapelta Warbah, mother of Lawanpynshngain Warbah of Class X.
Magdalyne Kharshiing, mother of Iohbor Kharshiing, says her child is being able to walk a little and is learning alphabets. “The teachers of Class KG in their assessment sheet gave good feedback.”
“This school is a blessing to our district as the students are like brothers and sisters. They help one another,” she adds.
