Institute for special children at Dhalli functioning without mandatory staff

Subhash Rajta

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Shimla, October 24

The only institute for children with special abilities (boys) in the state is functioning without basic requirements such as a braille teacher, an orientation and mobility instructor, a JBT special teacher, etc.

“What will our children learn without teachers? We are worried about their future,” said one of the parents whose son goes to this institute at Dhalli, near Shimla.

The institute, run by the Himachal Pradesh State Council for Child Welfare Council, has 133 students, 33 in the visually impaired section and the remaining in the speech and hearing impaired section.

According to sources, the school is functioning without a braille teacher and an orientation and mobility instructor for the past six-seven years.

“For visually impaired students, braille teacher and orientation and mobility instructor are a must. The reading and writing ability of the children gets severely impaired if they do not learn braille properly at a young age. We already have some children in Class IX and onwards who can’t read and write properly,” said a special educator, requesting anonymity.

“The orientation and mobility instructor helps the visually impaired children adapt to their surroundings and walk around without fear. Without the instructor, they will not learn to walk properly and confidently,” he said.

In the institute’s section for the speech and hearing impaired children, there’s no JBT special teacher for the primary section. “No other teacher can fill in for the JBT special teacher. They are trained to handle special children at this stage. Other teacher will not be able to do justice to their needs,” the special educator said.

As per sources, computers teachers have been assigned the job of JBT special teachers. The institute’s principal could not be contacted despite several attempts.

Mohan Dutt, general secretary of the Himachal Pradesh State Council for Child Welfare, admitted that some posts were vacant. “The matter is under government’s consideration. Once the approval is received, posts will be filled as per norms,” he said, adding that some teachers have been appointed on outsource basis to temporarily make up for the shortage of regular staff.

Meanwhile, the teachers at the institute are also not happy with their salaries. They went on a strike a few days ago alleging their salaries had not been revised ever since they were appointed. “The government should take over and run this school like it runs a similar institute for girls in Sundernagar,” a teacher said.

Student strength: 133

• The institute, run by the Himachal Pradesh State Council for Child Welfare Council, has 133 students, 33 in the visually impaired section and the remaining in the speech and hearing impaired section
• Besides various other shortcomings, the institute does not have a braille teacher, an orientation and mobility instructor and a JBT special teacher

Matter under consideration

Some posts are lying vacant. The matter is under government’s consideration. Once the approval is received, the posts will be filled as per norms. — Mohan Dutt, gen secy of controlling body